Mantu, Steamed Meat Dumplings
The steamed mantu in this video consists of rounds of flour-and-water dough with a pinch of salt, filled with a mixture of ground meat and coarsely chopped onion, salt, and pepper. They are shaped and steamed over a pot for 45 to 50 minutes, then served with a sauce of lemon juice and soy sauce.
Small dumplings made from flour dough with a savory meat and onion filling.
Like meat dumplings or stuffed pasta pockets.
Mantu are Central Asian-style dumplings with a simple dough wrapped around seasoned meat. They are best understood as a comforting filled pasta.
Ingredients
- half a kilo Ground meat
- 1 Medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 240 g Flour
- a pinch Pinch of salt for the dough
- approximately 140 to 150 ml Water for the dough
- a little Oil for greasing the steamer
- one-third of the pot Water for the pot
- a little Lemon pieces
- a little Lemon juice
- a little Soy sauce
Instructions
- Put the water in the mixing bowl first, then add the flour and a pinch of salt and knead until a slightly firm, cohesive dough forms.
- Cover the dough in the mixing bowl and let it rest for about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Put the ground meat, coarsely chopped onion, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl, then rub the ingredients together well.
- Prepare a perforated wooden steamer with its lid, or use a colander with many holes that can be covered over a steaming pot.
- Sprinkle flour over the work surface, then roll out the dough to an even medium thickness, until it is approximately 40 cm in diameter.
- Cut the dough into rounds on the work surface using a cutter, a small metal tin, or a finjan.
- Gather the dough scraps on the work surface, knead them again, roll them out, and cut them again to make the remaining rounds.
- Place 1 teaspoon of the meat filling in the center of each dough round on the work surface.
- Close the edges of each dough round around the filling on the work surface, pinching alternately from the right and left until it takes the shape of mantu.
- Grease the steamer or colander with a little oil, then arrange the mantu pieces on it, leaving space between them.
- Fill one-third of the pot with water, heat it, and add lemon pieces to the pot if available.
- Place the steamer or colander over the pot so that it fits its size, then set the heat to medium and cover it.
- Let the mantu steam over the pot for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Mix the lemon juice with the soy sauce for serving.
- Turn off the heat beneath the pot and let the steam subside slightly, then serve the mantu with the sauce.