πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Ώ Uzbek Cuisine

Chuchvara

Tiny Boiled Dumplings

Prep Time 2 hours
Servings 4
Difficulty Hard
Calories 332 kcal

Miniature dumplings no bigger than a thumbnail, filled with spiced lamb and onion, served swimming in a clear cumin-scented broth with fresh herbs.

Ingredients

  • 300g all-purpose flour
  • 150ml warm water
  • 1 tsp salt for dough
  • 250g ground lamb
  • 1 onion, very finely minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Half tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1L lamb or beef broth
  • Fresh dill
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Sour cream for serving

Instructions

  1. 1 Make a firm dough from flour, water, and salt, knead for eight minutes until smooth and elastic, then rest covered for twenty minutes.
  2. 2 Mix ground lamb with very finely minced onion, cumin, black pepper, and salt until the filling is uniformly blended and seasoned.
  3. 3 Roll dough very thin and cut into four-centimeter squares, place a tiny amount of filling in the center of each square piece.
  4. 4 Fold each square into a triangle and press edges firmly, then bring the two pointed corners together and pinch to form a tiny ring shape.
  5. 5 Bring seasoned broth to a gentle boil, drop in the dumplings in batches, and cook for seven minutes until they float to the surface.
  6. 6 Serve in deep bowls with plenty of hot broth, garnish with fresh dill and cilantro, and offer sour cream on the side for stirring in.

Did You Know?

An Uzbek saying holds that a skilled cook should be able to fit forty chuchvara on a single spoon β€” a testament to the art of making them tiny.

From The Culinary Codex — http://theculinarycodex.com/dish/uzbek/chuchvara/