Georgian dumplings with a juicy meat filling that forms a flavorful broth inside during cooking. The key is cold water in the dough and properly sealing the pleats so they don’t fall apart when boiled.
Sift flour into a large bowl to aerate it. In a separate container, dissolve salt in cold water and add vinegar. Gradually pour the salted water into the flour, mixing first with hands directly, adding water in small portions
For the filling, combine lamb mince and pork mince in a bowl. Finely dice onion as small as possible so it cooks through inside the dumplings. Finely chop fresh cilantro. Mince garlic. Add everything to the meat.
Season the filling with salt, sweet paprika, and ground cumin. Optionally add black pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
The secret to juicy khinkali is adding chilled broth or water to the filling so it forms a soup inside while cooking.
Add cold water to the filling gradually, mixing until the meat absorbs the liquid and becomes loose and soupy. This liquid will become the signature khinkali broth during cooking.
Roll out the rested dough on a floured surface, cut into portions, and roll each piece into a thin circle about 10-12 cm across. Place a generous spoonful of filling in the center. Pleat the edges together, gathering the dough into folds toward the center, and twist the top to seal tightly.
It is critical to seal the khinkali completely
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Gently lower khinkali in batches, stir carefully to prevent sticking, and cook for 12-15 minutes after they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with black pepper. Eat by holding the top knob, biting a small hole, sipping the broth first, then eating the rest. The top knob is traditionally left on the plate.