Nutrition is approximate.
Equipment
- Rolling pin
- knife
- tiered steamer
- food thermometer
Before you begin
Use the listed metric weight for flour, grains and meat for consistent results. Ingredient weights are raw or dry unless stated otherwise. US measures and metric quantities are both listed; rounded equivalents are approximate.
Prep 65 min · Cook 45 min · Waiting 32 min
Allow about 142 minutes: 65 minutes preparation, 45 minutes cooking and 32 minutes resting, rising, chilling, cooling or marinating. The recipe lists Prep 65 min; Steam 40-45 min; Dough rest 30 min. Where a range is given, this total uses its upper end; ingredients, equipment and dough temperature can change the time. It also includes the 2-minute final rest specified in the last step. Filling preparation can overlap the dough rest, so the allowance is conservative.
Ingredients
- DOUGH: all-purpose flour — 400 g / 14.11 oz
- DOUGH: water, room temperature — 200 ml / 6.76 US fl oz
- DOUGH: fine salt — 5 g / 0.18 oz
- Extra flour for rolling, allowance — 20 g / 0.71 oz
- FILLING: lamb, about 20% fat, finely hand-chopped — 600 g / 21.16 oz
- FILLING: onions, finely diced — 500 g / 17.64 oz
- FILLING: cumin seeds, lightly crushed — 3 g / 0.11 oz
- FILLING: black pepper — 1 g / 0.04 oz
- FILLING: fine salt — 7 g / 0.25 oz
- Sunflower oil, for steamer trays — 15 ml / 0.51 US fl oz
- Plain yogurt, to serve — 180 g / 6.35 oz
Step-by-step method
- Knead a firm dough
Dissolve 5 g salt in 200 ml water. Add to 400 g flour and mix until no loose flour remains. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and firm. If crumbs will not bind, add water 5 ml / 1 tsp at a time; cover and rest 30 minutes. - Chop the filling
Cut cold lamb into 4-5 mm / 3/16 in pieces and onions into similarly small dice. Mix with cumin, pepper and 7 g salt. Keep covered in the refrigerator while rolling dough; do not puree the onions. - Roll and portion
Divide dough into four parts, keeping unused parts covered. Roll each about 2 mm / 0.08 in thick with a little of the dusting flour. Cut six 10 cm / 4 in squares from each part, rerolling rested scraps as needed, for 24 squares total. - Close each parcel
Divide filling into 24 portions, about 46 g / 1.6 oz each. Put one in the center of each square. Bring opposite corners together, then the remaining corners; pinch all seams closed. Join adjacent outer corners in pairs to make a squat, closed parcel. - Steam above boiling water
Brush steamer trays with the 15 ml oil. Space dumplings 2 cm / 3/4 in apart; steam in one layer per tier over steadily boiling water, covered, for 40-45 minutes. Water must stay below the trays; check the reservoir without allowing it to dry out. - Check and serve
Probe the filling of a central dumpling: finely chopped meat must reach 71 C / 160 F. If needed, steam another 5 minutes and recheck. Rest 2 minutes, lift carefully and serve four manti per person with 30 g / 1.1 oz yogurt.
Cook’s notes
Ground lamb is a practical substitute but gives a finer texture. Thick wrappers become heavy; overfilled or floury seams leak. Yogurt may be replaced with an appropriate dairy-free alternative.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooked manti within 2 hours and use within 2 days; re-steam until 74 C / 165 F. Freeze raw assembled manti on a tray, then bag for up to 2 months; steam from frozen, allowing extra time and checking the center.
Allergens
Contains: wheat, milk. Check packaged ingredients.
Approximate nutrition
Per serving: 593 kcal · Protein 26 g · Carbohydrates 61 g · Fat 26 g.
Approximate nutrition per serving, divided into 6 portions, for the measured recipe as written. Ingredient brands, edible yields, cooking losses and retained oil vary. Optional accompaniments and substitutions are excluded. Includes the listed yogurt. The rolling or shaping flour allowance is only partly incorporated.
