Mantou

(Afghan Steamed Dumplings (w/ meat)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Mantou dumplings (see full and quick preparations below)

  • 500 g beef or lamb (minced)

  • 2-3 onions (medium, finely diced)

  • 2-3 C yogurt sauce (see below)

  • 1 T black pepper (ground)

  • 1 T cumin (ground)

  • 1/2 T paprika

  • 1/2 C tomato sauce (passata)

  • 1-2 cloves garlic (finely diced)

  • 2 T coriander (fresh, finely diced)

  • Salt (kosher)

  • 1 green chili (finely diced) (optional)

Yogurt Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 3 C yogurt (full or medium fat)

  • 2 cloves garlic (finely diced)

  • Salt (to taste)

Preparation:

  1. Mix yogurt, garlic, and ½ T salt in bowl using fork or whisk

  2. Set aside for assembly.

Mantou Dumplings

Dough Preparation (Full):

  • 500g all-purpose flour

  • 4 t salt

  • 7g yeast

  • 2 T vegetable oil (preferably canola / rape seed)

  • 1/2 C water (tepid)

Dough Preparation:

  1. Mix flour w/ 1 t salt in large mixing bowl

  2. Hill the flour and make a crater / well at the top. 

  3. Add 2 T oil into the crater / well. 

  4. Dissolve yeast into ½ C tepid water.

  5. Add water w/ yeast to flower and press / knead with hands.

  6. Add pinches of flour as needed and work as fazzoletto (2 pushes down with heel of hand, and then 1 push up in an upward motion).

  7. Dough ready when doesn’t stick to hands.

  8. Cut dough into two equal-sized balls

  9. Add flour to tray and rest balls on tray. Cover with plastic and towel and let rest for 4+ hours, covered.

  10. Uncover dough and add pinches of flour to top

  11. Add flour to flat rolling surface when ready to roll dough.  

  12. Roll first ball to 1/16” (1.5mm) thickness [Note: dough should not be thicker than this as Mantou dumplings will be tough]

  13. Cut out 4" (10cm) squares from dough. Repeat with remaining dough.

Dough Preparation (Short):

  1. Use wonton wrappers (square or round) instead of making and rolling out the dough. 

  2. Follow directions for Mantou Dumpling Preparation (below).

Mantou Dumpling Filling Preparation:

  1. Put ground beef / lamb in large mixing bowl.

  2. Add diced onions, chili (if using), 1 T salt, 1 T black pepper, and 1 T cumin to meat and mix thoroughly with hands.

Mantou Dumpling Preparation:

  1. Place 1 T (heaping) of meat mixture in center of each dough square. 

  2. Join opposite corners of square to close meat mixture inside (like a Chinese dumpling) and pinch corners together to ensure they are closed and bonded. [Note: You’ll need to use water and flour to help you pinch the dough together, however, dumplings should not be sealed completely as steam needs to enter and cook meat mixture]

  3. Use vegetable oil to oil the shelves of the steamer to avoid sticking. 

  4. Place Mantou dumplings on steamer shelves leaving ~1cm between each. 

  5. Steam over medium heat for 30m until dough fully cooked. 

  6. While steaming heat 1-2 T oil in pan, add garlic and then tomato sauce and heat, adding salt and pepper as needed. 

Assembly:

  1. Once Mantou dumplings are cooked, place on a serving tray in close lines. 

  2. Drizzle with 1 C yogurt sauce and then the tomato sauce. Retain 1 C yogurt in separate bowl for additional portions. 

  3. Garnish Mantou dumplings with coriander and paprika. 

  4. Serve and Enjoy!