Siberian Beef Dumplings (пельмени)
A peppery meat dumpling that straddles Europe and Asia, 'pelmeni' offer a fresh view of Siberia where beef and dairy reign supreme.
Between the European and Chinese dumpling traditions you’ll find Russian dumplings: pelmeni. Like many dumpling styles throughout Central Asia, these dumplings are a descendant of Turkic people who roamed the region. You’ll find that pelmeni are loved throughout Russia, but Siberia exhibit the very best as their beef and dairy quality reign supreme. The filling consists of meat, usually beef and sometimes mixed with some veal. Because Siberia has a short growing season, the filling is modestly flavoured with salt, pepper, onion and celery, with a dash of horseradish for a prickly heat. The hallmark of pelmeni is their juiciness. A good trick to achieve this is using 20% fat beef and adding some ice cubes to the mix. These ice cubes keep the meat mixture firm enough so they hold onto water. The mixture is then wrapped in a flour-water dough - for which I recommend using pre-made Asian dumpling/gyoza skins - then formed like a tortelloni. After just a few minutes boiling, they’re tossed in foamy butter and served with soured cream, black pepper and dill or chives. It’s a gorgeous, simple winter dish to hibernate with. Let’s go!
