Khinkali

The story

Khinkali is a Georgian main with a clear sense of place. Khinkali is associated particularly with Georgia’s mountain regions, where meat-filled dumplings became substantial portable food. Urban versions now appear throughout the country, with fillings ranging from meat to mushrooms and cheese. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 500 g plain flour
• 8 g fine salt
• 250 ml waterfor dough
• 300 g beef mince
• 250 g pork mince
• 160 g onionvery finely chopped
• 25 g fresh corianderfinely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 8 g fine saltfor filling
• 180 ml cold waterfor filling

Method

1. Mix flour, salt and 250 ml water

   Mix flour, salt and 250 ml water into a firm dough. Knead for 8 minutes, cover and rest 30 minutes; the rest is essential because the dough must roll thin without springing back.

   Tip: Add water to the filling until it looks almost too loose. That moisture becomes the soup inside the dumpling. Avoid: Dry filling produces no broth; weak pleats leak; thin bottoms burst; overcrowded boiling water drops the temperature and makes dumplings stick.

2. Combine beef, pork, onion, coriander, cumin, black

   Combine beef, pork, onion, coriander, cumin, black pepper and salt. Work in the 180 ml cold water gradually until the filling is loose and juicy but not separating. Chill while rolling.

   Look for: the filling is loose and juicy but not separating

3. Roll the dough about 2 mm thick

   Roll the dough about 2 mm thick. Cut 12–14 cm circles, re-rolling scraps once. Keep circles covered so the edges remain supple enough to pleat.

4. Place about 45 g filling in the

   Place about 45 g filling in the centre. Lift the edge and make small pleats all the way around, turning the dumpling as you go. Gather the pleats at the top and twist firmly to seal, leaving the characteristic knob.

5. Lower khinkali in batches into a large

   Lower khinkali in batches into a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Stir very gently once so they do not stick. Once they float, boil for another 6–7 minutes.

6. Lift with a slotted spoon and serve

   Lift with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with lots of black pepper. Eat by holding the top knot, biting a small opening, sipping the broth, then eating the dumpling; the doughy knob is traditionally left on the plate.

   Look for: Dumplings float, the dough feels firm but tender and the interior meat reaches a safe cooked temperature while remaining juicy.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.