Mantu

I chose to make 2 dishes from Afghanistan and serve them together. The first is Mantu, a meat filled pasta. The author says this is a very traditional dish, a bit time consuming, but worth it. The dough is very simply made of flour and water, but wonton wrappers can be substituted. I chose to be as authentic as possible (and cost cutting) by making my own dough with just flour and water. It is traditionally made with lamb, but I am using beef. It is served with a simple tomato sauce and yogurt, which has been strained, another traditional practice as to rid the yogurt of some of the acidity. Strained yogurt is called Chaka. Okra is very common in Afghan cooking, and it is stewed with onions and tomato, which are the basics for every stewed vegetable.

Mantu

(Pasta filled with Meat and Onion)
Pg. 87

(I made 1/3 of this recipe)

1 lb. all purpose flour
1 c. water (less or more)
2-3 tsp. salt
1 lb. lamb, chopped into small pieces (I used ground beef)
1 green chilie pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
16. oz. yogurt (chaka)


In a kitchen aid using the dough hook, add the flour and 1 tsp. salt. Turn the mixer to low and stream in water, about a cup, more or less. Let the dough knead for 5 minutes. Cover in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
In a small bowl, combine the lamb, chilie, pepper, cumin, and 1-2 tsp. salt. Set aside.
Divide the dough and roll out to 1/16” thickness. Cut into squares. Spoon 1 tbsp. of the meat mixture into each piece of dough, pull the sides up and press together, but do not seal the pasta.
Grease the steamer, place the mantu on and steam for 30-45 minutes over medium heat.
While mantu steam, prepare tomato sauce. Heat oil in a skillet, add the tomato puree and bring to a bubble. Turn heat to low until mantu are ready.
Plate mantu, cover in sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with chaka.

“Afghan Food and Cookery”, Helen Saberi. Hippocrene Books: New York, 2000.