How to make khinkali at home: dough, filling and shaping
A simple home recipe and the secret of a juicy filling.
Short answer
For khinkali, knead a stiff dough of flour, water and salt and let it rest for 30-40 minutes. The filling is minced beef and pork with onion, coriander, pepper and salt, plus a little cold water or broth so it's juicy inside. Roll the dough into circles of about 10-12 centimetres, add the filling, gather the edges into pleats forming a top knot, and boil in salted water.
Why
- A good khinkali is said to have at least 18-19 pleats.
- In Georgia's mountain areas the filling is lamb or beef without herbs.
- There are meatless khinkali with mushrooms, potato or cheese.
Details
Roll the dough thin but not translucent so it doesn't tear. Spare khinkali can be frozen on a board and then bagged.
Tip
Add a little cold water or broth to the filling and mix well so there's juice inside.
What may differ
Each Georgian region has its own versions of dishes, so the same dish can taste quite different.
People also ask
- How to make khinkali at home?
Times and proportions are approximate; go by the size of your khinkali and the packaging.
Traditional khinkali in TbilisiRelated questions
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How do khinkali differ from manti?
Khinkali are a Georgian dish boiled in water, while manti come from Central Asian and Turkic cuisines and are steamed.
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Khinkali and khachapuri: whose dishes are they?
Both khinkali and khachapuri are Georgian dishes.
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Which cheese do you need for khachapuri?
In Georgia, khachapuri uses Imeretian cheese, a young brined cheese with a mild tang, and sulguni, which stretches well.
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How do you make khachapuri at home?
The easiest home khachapuri is Imeretian: make a dough of matsoni or kefir with flour, egg and baking soda, fill it with grated cheese, flatten it and fry in a pan or bake.