Large steamed dumplings filled with spiced lamb and onion — bigger and juicier than their Chinese cousin, eaten by hand with yogurt and herbs, a cornerstone of the Central Asian table.
Manti are the dumplings of the steppe, and Uzbekistan's version is the most generous in size: each one a plump pinched square big enough to require two bites, steamed in a special multi-tiered pot called a mantovarka. The filling is lamb and onion, seasoned with cumin and black pepper, the fat left in because fat is flavor and because the fat becomes the broth inside the dumpling during steaming. You eat manti with your hands. You bite a small hole in the side first, suck out the hot liquid, then eat. This is not optional. Without the juice-first approach, the filling pours down your shirt instead of into your mouth. Manti are served with sour cream, yogurt, or a spicy tomato sauce, and always with fresh herbs on top. In Uzbek homes, making manti is a family affair — the dough is rolled thin, circles or squares are cut, filling is placed, and multiple family members fold and pinch while the conversation flows. The pleating technique varies by region: Uzbek manti typically have a pinched-square fold with four corners brought together.
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