Khinkali
 | |
| Alternative names | Kudi, kuchi |
|---|---|
| Type | Dumpling |
| Place of origin | Georgia |
| Main ingredients | Filling: spiced meat (beef, pork, or lamb), herbs, onions, and garlic. Cheese, potato, or mushroom fillings are alternatives to meat. |
Khinkali (Georgian: ხინკალი ⓘ) is a Georgian dumpling[1][2] which originated in the Georgian regions of Pshavi, Mtiuleti and Khevsureti.[3] Varieties of khinkali spread from there across different parts of the Caucasus.[4] Khinkali is filled with various fillings, mostly with spiced meat (usually beef and pork in Georgia, beef in Azerbaijan and other Muslim-majority areas, and sometimes lamb), herbs (usually coriander), onions, and garlic. Mushrooms, potatoes, or cheese may be used in place of meat.
Khinkali is eaten plain, or with coarse black pepper. The meat filling is uncooked when the khinkali is assembled, so when cooked the juices of the meat are trapped inside the dumpling. The khinkali is typically consumed first by sucking the juices while taking the first bite, in order to prevent the dumpling from bursting. The top, where the pleats meet, is tough, and is not supposed to be eaten, but discarded to the plate so that those eating can count how many they have consumed. In Georgia, this top is called the "kudi" (Georgian: ქუდი, hat) or "kuchi" (Georgian: კუჭი, stomach).
The towns of Dusheti, Pasanauri and Mtskheta are particularly famous for their khinkali.
References
- ^ The World Cookbook for Students, Volume 1 by Jeanne Jacob, Michael Ashkenazi
- ^ The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia by Darra Goldstein
- ^ Georgia: in the Mountains of Poetry by Peter Nasmyth, 2006
- ^ Armenian food: fact, fiction & folklore by Irina Petrosian, David Underwood, 2006
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