A Taste of Russia: Pelmeni

A Russian national dish and favorite is pelmeni. Pelmeni is a type of dumpling that can be filled with different meats like pork, chicken, and beef. To give it a spicy flavor, people add black pepper and onions. Pelmeni originally came from northwestern China, where the Mongols lived and spread to Siberia, then eventually reached eastern Europe during the 16th century. In the past, hunters made pelmeni to take with them on long-hunting trips for the winter. Pelmeni is a very non-perishable food and a light meal that can be eaten for lunch or a snack. Most Russian or Ukrainian supermarkets carry frozen pelmeni that can be boiled in chicken broth. Russians make pelmeni by boiling and sometimes frying then boiling, then they are topped with sour cream, melted butter, spicy mustard, or vinegar. Here is a recipe to make pelmeni, make sure you have a couple hours to make them:

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1/2 pound mixed ground beef, lamb and pork (by taste)
1 onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix ground beef, lamb, pork, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; reserve. Mix flour with egg (yolk and egg white) and water; 1/4 teaspoon salt until a soft dough forms. Knead on floured surface until dough is elastic. Divide into 1-inch round pieces. Roll each piece so that they are 1/16 inch thick. Fill each piece with the meat mixture; fold into half-moons. Pinch edges together and connect the opposite sides. Pelmeni can be frozen to be cooked later, or cooked immediately. To cook pelmeni, boil about 1/2 gallon of water; carefully drop pelmeni into boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes. You can different toppings like sour cream, melted butter, spicy mustard, vinegar, or soy sauce on pelmeni. If you have any leftovers, remember these dumplings will taste just as fresh when you freeze them. Enjoy these tasty dumplings!


sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelmeni,
http://www.russiansabroad.com/cuisine/Recipe.asp?ComID=91