They are considered an international dish, which each national cuisine has its own cooking characteristics. The Chinese eat wontons, Buryats and Mongols love poses, triangular meat dumplings kreplach are prepared in Israel, khinkali are popular in Georgia, and sorcerers are popular in Belarus. Italians make minced meat for ravioli not only with meat, but also with cheese, Tibetans respect momo vegetable dumplings, and Germans prepare maultaschen, which differ from dumplings by the presence of spinach in the minced meat. Even in Russia this dish is prepared in different ways: in cookbooks you can find Siberian, Ural, Amur, Far Eastern, Moscow and Little Russian dumplings.
Store-bought or homemade dumplings?
Homemade dumplings are a rarity these days. Because we are busy, we sometimes make do with semi-finished products, but sometimes we really want to throw a holiday for our loved ones and pamper them with delicious dumplings stuffed with real meat. Homemade dumplings made from selected ingredients are a real delight, and the whole family can make them. There are many recipes, you just need to find the most suitable option and adapt it to suit you.
“Correct” minced meat for dumplings
In the Siberian recipe for minced meat, it is recommended to use pork and beef (or better yet, veal), and the pork should be fatty enough so that the dumplings do not turn out dry. If the minced meat is prepared only from beef, it is advisable to dilute it with ground lard. It is believed that the more different types of meat in the minced meat, the tastier it is, so lamb and poultry are suitable for dumplings, and in some recipes you can also see exotic forest meat - elk, venison and bear meat. It is better to take fresh meat, without veins or film. If you buy beef, take the brisket and shoulder, and when choosing pork, opt for the shoulder or neck.
Any fish is suitable for fish dumplings - both sea and river, as long as there are few bones. You can add a little lard or butter to dry fish. You can also make dumplings with vegetables, mushrooms and fruits.
Traditionally, onions chopped in a blender are added to the minced meat, and the more of it, the juicier and tastier the filling will be. In Siberian villages, the filling necessarily included crushed ice or frozen cranberry, blueberry and cloudberry juice. For tenderness and piquancy, some housewives add ground cabbage, potatoes or zucchini to the meat. Should I add eggs, milk or cream to the minced meat? This depends on cooking habits, while garlic, salt and pepper are added to taste. Sometimes minced meat is flavored with nutmeg and other spices.
Secrets of making dumpling dough
Before kneading the dough, the flour must be sifted so that it is saturated with oxygen and the finished products turn out fluffier, because the recipe does not include raising agents. The technology for preparing unleavened dough comes down to pouring flour into a bowl or on the table and making a hole in it, into which an egg is broken, and then water and salt are added. In some cases, water is replaced with milk, kefir and vegetable oil, but eggs are not present in all recipes.
There is a very interesting way of preparing the dough, when milk is heated, then combined with eggs, salt and a small amount of flour. Next, the “dough” is heated until thickened in a water bath and mixed with the remaining flour. The dough made according to this recipe turns out to be very tender, soft and tasty. You can also prepare choux pastry - to do this, pour boiling water over the flour and add all the other products to the resulting mass. Choux pastry does not stick to your hands and does not tear, so it is much more pleasant to sculpt. Adding food coloring and some coloring products changes the color of the dough, resulting in fun and colorful finished products. Turmeric gives a rich yellow tint, spinach puree makes it green, and tomato paste makes the dumplings red-orange.
The dough is kneaded well, sparing no effort and time, and then wrapped in damp cotton cloth and covered with a bowl, leaving for half an hour. This important stage should not be skipped, because during “rest” the gluten of the flour swells, the dough becomes more elastic and durable, and does not tear during modeling and cooking, even if it is rolled out in a thin layer.
Dumpling preparations are made in two ways. The first method is to roll out the dough into a thin layer (no more than 2 mm thick), cut circles out of it with a mold or glass, and place minced meat in the middle of them. The second method is to form a rope from the dough, which is cut into pieces, each of which is rolled out separately. How to make dumplings correctly - with your hands or in a dumpling maker? In fact, the shape doesn’t matter, the dumpling maker will just save time, and you will get neat, beautiful and similar dumplings. However, if the “correct” shape is a matter of honor for you to preserve family culinary traditions, make dumplings the old fashioned way and pinch the edges well.
How to cook dumplings correctly and tasty
Cook for no more than 15 minutes in boiling salted water, vegetable, meat or fish broth, to which bay leaves and onions are usually added. When the dumplings float to the surface, you need to let them simmer for a few minutes and then remove from the heat. Homemade dumplings are served either with the broth in which they were boiled, or with mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, horseradish, 3% vinegar, ketchup and any sauce you like. Be sure to place black or red pepper, sliced butter and a plate of chopped herbs next to the plate.
Dumplings are also cooked in the oven or steamed, fried in a frying pan (raw or cooked), the crispy golden brown crust makes them especially appetizing. Fried dumplings are poured with sour cream and served with herbs and seasonings.
If you plan to freeze dumplings, do it right away, otherwise the minced meat will release juice and the products will turn out unsightly. For the same reason, it is recommended not to delay cooking the dumplings, and why delay the pleasure? If you understand how to properly prepare dumplings at home, your household will stop buying store-bought dumplings, because homemade food is always unbeatable!
The process of preparing dumplings is comparable to skillful and painstaking work; today we will learn only the basics. After putting the recipes into practice, you will learn the secret of how to cook dumplings at home. You will learn how to turn them into a high-quality masterpiece that can be placed on the table for a family dinner or served as a treat for a holiday feast.
The main role in the meal is played by the choice of meat for ideal minced meat; it should not be dry and aromatic, but the quality of the dough is not in last place. Many housewives produce minced meat without fail, but it is wrapped in a sticky, sticky and grayish mass that bears little resemblance to ideal dough. Because of this, the appearance and taste of the dumplings suffers. In order not to get into an awkward situation in front of relatives and guests, learn how to knead proper and tasty dumpling dough; it is suitable for use when making dumplings with completely different fillings.
You will need:
- 150 ml cold water;
- A pair of chicken eggs;
- A couple of glasses of wheat flour;
- A teaspoon of table salt.
Algorithm for working with ingredients:
- Mix the bulk ingredients and create a small depression exactly in the center.
- Break the chicken eggs into the hole, carefully and slowly, whisking with a fork.
- Gradually start adding water, kneading the mixture with your hands.
- When it becomes elastic, form a ball and knead it for 10-15 minutes.
- Place the finished dough in a bowl, cover the top with a towel or lid, and let it rest for an hour.
After the allotted time has passed, you can immediately proceed to sculpting. Now you know how to prepare the right dumpling dough at home. Your guests will be delighted with the aromatic, delicious and attractive-looking dish; you won’t be ashamed to serve it to your guests as a hot dish.
Let's look at the most popular dumpling recipes with interesting fillings.
Classic recipe for Russian dumplings
In the modern world there are a myriad of varieties of dumplings, they are prepared with a variety of sweet and savory fillings, but the Russian dish prepared according to the traditional method is considered an established classic. Every self-respecting woman should be able to make delicious dumplings on her own, and not buy a store-bought semi-finished product.
For the meat filling, prepare:
- Half a kilo of lean beef;
- 300 grams of lamb;
- 200 grams of pork;
- Medium onion;
- Salt and spices according to your taste preferences.
How to cook deliciously:
- To get the right minced meat, grind three types of meat in a meat grinder, cut the onion into small cubes and send it to the scrolled meat, add salt and the desired spices.
- Knead the resulting mass thoroughly; at the end it should remain viscous, but not liquid.
- At the next stage, prepare the dough according to the recipe described above, and use a rolling pin to turn it into a thin layer.
- Using a round cutter, cut out the blanks for wrapping the filling.
- The dough and meat filling are ready, you can proceed to the labor-intensive process of modeling. Place some minced meat in a circle and fold it in half, carefully pinch along the edge and connect both ends together.
This is the simplest recipe for a delicious and appetizing dish that every Russian person loves. But if you are tired of the banal classics, and your heart wants something unusual “with a twist,” do not ignore the following recipe.
Now we will tell you how to cook Siberian-style dumplings at home; they do not lose a bit in taste to their classic counterpart. Try making this dish for your family; it is guaranteed to become a frequent guest on your family table.
You will need:
- 300 grams of beef tenderloin;
- 300 grams of pork;
- Large onion;
- 100 grams of ice;
- Salt and spices according to your taste.
Preparation:
- Don’t be lazy and prepare both the dough and the meat filling yourself. Grind the meat in a meat grinder, and then the onion; it is recommended to grind it twice.
- Add salt and spices to the minced meat and mix it thoroughly.
- Knead the dough and turn it with a rolling pin into a large thin layer, from which cut out pieces in the shape of circles.
- Place a little twisted meat and grated ice on each circle, it is thanks to this simple component that the taste will turn out to be very unusual, seal the dough and roll it to make a dumpling.
Please note that dumplings cannot be cooked immediately; they must be frozen for at least 24 hours.
Properly prepared dumplings according to a recipe from Siberia will definitely make a strong impression on those who manage to try them.
Not everyone knows about this variation of Russian food, but this does not prevent Yakut dumplings from becoming an increasingly popular dish around the globe. You can taste this delicacy at home, especially since we will give you a step-by-step recipe.
You will need:
- 400 grams of any fish;
- 200 grams of beef tenderloin;
- 200 grams of deer meat;
- Salt and spices according to your individual wishes.
How to cook:
- Remove the bones from the fish and grind the fillet in a meat grinder; do the same manipulation with the meat.
- Add salt and spices to the minced meat and knead it gently.
- The interesting fish and meat filling is ready, all you have to do is knead the dough according to the classic recipe and you can start modeling.
Even the most picky gourmets will enjoy eating according to the Yakut recipe; such dumplings will only confirm the culinary abilities of the hostess.
Video: how to cook delicious homemade dumplings
Now you know how to cook different types of dumplings at home. Using our recipes and step-by-step cooking instructions, you will definitely not spoil the dish, it will turn out delicious. Experiment in the kitchen and pamper your household with hearty and tasty dumplings.
Alexander Gushchin
I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)
Content
Dumplings are everyone’s favorite delicacy. Unfortunately, the ancient dish has completely migrated from the home camp to store-bought ones. However, no factory-made product can compare with the taste of a homemade dish, carefully prepared by the hands of the housewife, which is why recipes for making dumplings have been and will remain popular.
Types of sculpting dumplings
There are two types of preparation - manual and mechanical. Mechanical is limited in shape: if you use a machine, then apart from square, products of any other shape will not work. You can make them round or semicircular with your hands, so if not only the taste, but also the appearance is important to you, then the options for making dumplings by hand will be a hundred times more varied and richer.
Housewives prepare the mass at their discretion, soft or hard, but roll it out very thinly with a rolling pin. Minced meat is mixed from different types of meat or mushrooms with the addition of pepper and fried onions, pepper and salt to taste, add ice water, oil, and herbs. Each housewife decides for herself how to make dumplings: family recipes are often used. If we talk about the types of cooking according to different recipes, we can conclude that they are all similar. The ingredients for the dough include:
- water;
- flour;
- a pinch of salt;
- egg.
Device for making dumplings
For those who want to save time, a device for making dumplings at home comes to the rescue. The mechanical one is a machine: we load minced meat and dough into it, and turn the handle. This device is good because it regulates the thickness of the sheet; you can make a large amount at once so that you can freeze half of it. The only negative is the high cost compared to other devices.
At home, they work manually, using a flat mold with honeycomb-shaped holes: in addition, you only need a rolling pin. This dumpling maker will help you make a whole batch at once. The most modern option is a manual cooking device from China: this is a plastic mold that makes only one piece at a time. One of the advantages is the openwork pattern, which is imprinted along the contour.
Technique for making dumplings
There are so many techniques for making dumplings for as many housewives as there are. The best way to properly make dumplings with your hands is Siberian. This is a simple recipe from a circle of dough folded in half: someone then glues the ends together to make an “ear”, someone cooks it unchanged, like a dumpling. There are many options for making dumplings in the world - these are Italians with ravioli, Chinese with “nests”, Georgians and khinkali, Indian modak and much more.
The most affordable, but unusual ways in which you can replenish your culinary collection are interesting: for example, “bags” - this option resembles manti, but they turn out to be more miniature. How to prepare “bags”? You need to roll out a circle of dough, put minced meat in the middle, and wrap it in the shape of a bag. A “star” method similar to this, but more elegant: for this shape we do everything the same as in the first case, but instead of a bag we form five even edges.
How to make dumplings by hand
Hand-made dumplings are increasingly fading into the background, but those housewives who want to pamper their family with a delicious dish must remember a few simple rules. How to make dumplings without hassle - the dough you prepare will answer. The main condition is to knead it well so that it does not stick to your hands, and to prevent the edges from coming apart, dip your fingers in flour more often and sprinkle it on the table.
How to quickly make dumplings
Most housewives are stopped from preparing a dish by the thought of how much time it takes to put it together. Experienced chefs know that quickly making dumplings is a matter of a little practice and a few secrets, and no machines are needed for this. The main thing is to learn how to quickly cut sheets and form products not one at a time, but in large batches. A pizza cutter will help solve the problem of reducing time. It is distinguished by a round blade that easily cuts the rolled out layer without collecting it:
- Cut the rolled out layer into long strips.
- Place the minced meat in a plastic bag, one corner of which is cut off.
- Squeeze out the minced meat to the entire length at once and cover it with a second strip.
- We cut into squares of the required size, then you can pinch them.
If you don't have a pizza cutter, you can speed up the task in another way:
- We fold the rolled sheet like an accordion and cut it into pieces of a suitable size.
- We lay the resulting strips on top of each other and cut them again. This will help you quickly get even squares from a piece of dough.
- We can make round, square or even triangular products from them.
How to make dumplings beautifully
Beautifully modeling dumplings will require some skill. One of the common cooking options is to form a “pigtail” along the edge. How to cook:
- Give the dough a regular shape.
- Then we wrap a small piece on the side that is already molded.
- Press down lightly.
- One step - one pinch.
- Finally, glue the edges together to make a circle. The “pigtail” will be noticeable even after cooking.
“Flowers” is another option for beautifully decorating dumplings. How to wrap dumplings to get a flower:
- Roll out the circle.
- We form 5 edges by bending the edges.
- We turn the resulting pentagon over, put the minced meat in the middle, glue it together, again forming five edges based on the ones already obtained.
- At the end, we turn away the edges and see a beautiful flower, as in the photo.
How to make small dumplings
Often, even with the most delicious dish, picky eaters complain that the volume is too big. During cooking, it is difficult to determine by eye what size to cut out the dough base, and as a result the size ends up being too large. Special molds with a diameter of 10 mm or more will help you make small dumplings. If you don’t have a mold, you can use a regular glass.
How to make Chinese dumplings
The Chinese version of the dish differs in fillings, shape, size, and side dishes with which it is served. The most famous dish is similar to manti, in the form of bags. There are options tied with green onion feathers. Every Russian knows one type of Chinese dumplings. The “bear ears” technique is also popular there, with which Russian people are very familiar. All these methods are complicated, so it’s better to watch a training video or photo on how to sculpt correctly so that everything works out. You can make Chinese dumplings in the following ways:
- Raise the edges up. Then glue along the edges.
- The edges are gathered at the top, glued together in the middle. The result is three sides, thanks to which the product looks like a neat triangle.
- The Sichuan province is famous for a dish shaped like an open envelope. To do this, fold a square piece of dough diagonally. The edges of the triangle are fastened, and the corners at the base are folded towards the center.
How to make dumplings on a dumpling maker
Making dumplings using a dumpling maker greatly simplifies the task of housewives during cooking. The kitchen device helps you make about 40 neat identical products at the same time. If we are talking about a simple dumpling maker, which consists of a mold with holes, then you will need two sheets of dough, kneaded in the usual way, and minced meat. We also prepare it to your taste. The rest of the technology is simple.
- Many would gladly agree to have lunch or dinner with delicious dumplings, but what is offered for sale in retail chains is not often suitable for consumption, because factories use everything that is not a pity, just not high-quality raw materials.
Where can you get delicious dumplings, juicy, aromatic, the mere contemplation of which awakens your appetite, the kind you remember from distant childhood, the kind your caring mother and grandmother treated you to? - Cooking them at home, independently, according to our recipe, even if not often, because some time ago they were considered not a simple, everyday dish, but a festive one and were prepared according to recipes kept for years, this was a good family tradition in which all members were involved families. So, the recipe is how to cook dumplings...
Ingredients for the recipe:
- beef pulp (about.4 kg);
- pork pulp (0.4 kg);
- fresh pork lard or bacon (0.1 kg);
- large onion (1 pc.);
- garlic (2-3 cloves), optional;
- salt pepper;
- premium wheat flour (1.5-2 kg);
- chicken eggs (1 pc.);
- water (2 tbsp.).
*** output - 2-2.5 kg of ready-made dumplings.
How to make homemade dumplings recipe:
Let's start kneading the dough:
1. Let's start with preparing the dough - for many it is easier to start kneading in some kind of deep bowl, I prefer to do this right on the kitchen table. Let's prepare the simplest dough at home, but it seems to me the most suitable, at least for this recipe.
Pay attention to the quality of flour - it must be the highest grade. Sift wheat flour (1 kg) with a strainer, make room in the flour pile in a circular motion, pour in 2 glasses of water, break a chicken egg and add a little salt. If you prefer a softer dough, do not add an egg.
Continue kneading the dough:
2. Take the flour from the walls and gently mix with water and egg; when the dough no longer spreads, break the mound of flour, continuing to stir and add flour.
Knead the dough:
3. Knead with your hands in a circle, adding flour, the dough needs to acquire sufficient elasticity, but do not overdo it, otherwise it will be difficult to roll out the dough later. Wrap it in a ball, dust it with flour, wrap it in cling film, let the dough sit for about an hour, then continue kneading.
Dough for dumplings:
4. Mix the dough until smooth and elastic, while simultaneously monitoring the consistency. If it’s a little runny, add more flour, continuing to knead, the dough is completely ready, when it doesn’t stick to your hands, put it in a bag, dusting it with flour.
Let's prepare the minced meat:
5. Minced meat is a very important component; if the minced meat is not of adequate quality, then the dumplings will not be tasty, no matter how hard you try. Cut the meat and lard into pieces and grind in a meat grinder. We’ll do the same with the onion-garlic, that is, twist it, add garlic as desired, don’t forget salt and pepper to taste, I advise you to pour half a glass of water into the minced meat for juiciness.
Roll out the dough thinly:
6. Cut a piece of dough, dust it with flour, start rolling it out, periodically sprinkling the surface with flour, turning it over several times. Usually it rolls out faster in the middle, and the edges are thicker, so try to roll it out evenly; the layer after rolling should be about 2-3 mm thick.
Cutting the dough for dumplings:
7. You need to prepare circles for dumplings - for this, take a small stack with thin edges and cut the circles, combine the remaining pieces from cutting with the main piece, knead well, sprinkle with flour, wrap in a bag.
Place the minced meat on the dough circles:
8. Usually the minced meat is placed on a circle with a spoon and immediately sculpted, I have a slightly different option - I spread the minced meat with my hands, onto all the circles at once, and then sculpt it - try it, maybe you will also find this option more convenient and faster. Take some of the minced meat, as you would for a large cutlet, squeeze out a piece, pinch it off, and place it on a circle.
How to make dumplings:
9. Take a circle of dough with minced meat, pinch it in the middle, push the minced meat inward, pinching the edges of the circle, move from the middle to the edge, then turn it over and make a dumpling on the other side. How to cook dumplings - recipe.
Making dumplings:
10. Wrap the dough, bringing the ends together, pinch them - done. You can cover the circles with minced meat with cellophane so they don’t have time to dry out. We send the first batch of dumplings to the freezer. We mold until we have used all the minced meat or the dough for dumplings; lay out the dumplings loosely enough so that they do not stick together. How to cook dumplings recipe with photos.
— don’t cut out too many circles at once, especially if this is your first time making dumplings yourself, otherwise they may dry out, then it will be difficult to sculpt, and the dumplings will turn out ugly;
- spread cellophane along the bottom of the freezer - place dumplings on it in rows;
- when you have completely occupied the bottom of the freezer, place the next layer on top directly on top of the first, but do not forget to place another bag between them;
Dumplings are a delicious dish made from unleavened dough and meat. And, perhaps, there is no person who would be indifferent to them. Everyone loves them, young and old. And proof of this is the store shelves, where you can see numerous varieties from different manufacturers.
And those who buy them in the store always know very well which ones are worth taking and which ones are not. Moreover, in addition to the filling, they always pay attention to the dough, and you can often hear that in certain dumplings it tastes better than in others.
But probably everyone will agree that you won’t find anything better than homemade dumplings and homemade dough anywhere. Despite the most expensive store-bought dumplings, they will never be tastier than homemade ones.
And all because almost every housewife knows how to cook this dish, and each has her own signature recipe for making the dough. There are quite a lot of such recipes, and every housewife believes that her recipe is the best.
Today I propose to understand all the known recipes, and find out how they differ from each other and which option is best to prepare dumplings from. And also learn more about the features and some secrets of its preparation.
Dough for dumplings - secrets and general principles of preparation
Although dumpling dough (unleavened) is called as such, it is used not only for preparing them, but also for preparing various pasta, dumplings, pasties, and manti. And although the former are boiled, the latter are steamed, and the chebureki are even fried in oil, the basis for all these second courses is made from flour almost the same.
If the article was useful to you, share it on social networks, the buttons for which are located at the beginning and end of the article. And also, if you have your own original recipes for making delicious dumpling dough, share them with us in the comments. In both cases, it will be great!
And to those who are preparing dumplings today - Bon appetit!
