Georgian Mushroom Khinkali

Photo by Ian Mccausland

Dough:
4 c all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 c water
2 large eggs, beaten

Filling:
3 cups of mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp dry tarragon
2 tbsp chives, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop mushrooms. Heat butter and oil in a frying pan on medium. Add mushrooms and stir well. Cook mushrooms at medium heat to make sure they stay moist. Do not sear the mushrooms because otherwise, the khinkali will not be juicy. When mushrooms are almost done, add minced garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in cilantro, chives and tarragon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place 1-2 tbsp of mushroom mixture on the rolled-out dough circles. Then take the circles’ edges and pinch them up into sacks, forming equal-sized wrinkles. Make sure the top of Khinkali is well tied up; tear off any extra dough.

Put khinkali into boiling salted water and stir carefully. Cover the saucepan with a lid and when the water starts to boil, stir again. Boil gently for 6-7 minutes. After khinkali grow in size and start floating to the surface, take them out of the saucepan and place them on a tray. You can sprinkle them with ground black pepper or garnish with sour cream.

Dipping sauce: sour cream or yogurt, pomegranate seeds, chives, lemon juice.

Wine Pairing: