Banshtai Tsai — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tiny lamb-filled dumplings simmered in salted Mongolian milk tea, creating a uniquely savory and warming broth that fuels herders through harsh winters.

Ingredients

300g ground lamb
2 cups flour
1 litre water
500ml whole milk
2 tbsp loose black tea
1 onion, finely minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp butter

Instructions

1 Brew strong black tea in boiling water for 3 minutes. Strain, return to pot, add milk and salt. Keep warm.
2 Make firm dough from flour, water, and pinch of salt. Rest 10 minutes.
3 Mix lamb with onion, salt, and pepper for filling.
4 Roll dough thin, cut small rounds 5cm across. Place tiny amount of filling, fold and pinch shut.
5 Bring milk tea to a gentle boil. Drop dumplings in batches, cook 8 minutes until they float.
6 Add butter, stir gently. Ladle dumplings and milky broth into bowls. Serve steaming hot.

Did You Know?

Nomadic families often make banshtai tsai as the first meal of the day in winter, eating it before dawn to prepare for herding.