Khinkali ( ka, ხინკალი , sometimes

Romanized Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...

''hinkali'' or ''xinkali'') is a

dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fi ...

in Georgian cuisine. It is made of twisted knobs of dough, stuffed with meat, fish or vegetables and spices. The concept of dumplings is said to have been carried west from China, across Mongolia, Russia and Georgia, by the Mongols in the 13th century.

Ingredients

The fillings of khinkali vary with the area. The original recipe, the so-called ''khevsuruli'', consisted of only minced meat (lamb, beef or pork mixed), onions, chili pepper, salt, and

cumin Cumin ( or , or Article title
) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a

parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean region (Sardinia, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, southern Italy, Greece, Por ...

and

coriander Coriander (;

. Mushrooms, potatoes, or cheese may be used in place of meat. Beef or lamb is usual in halal and

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...

, which never include pork for religious reasons.

Etiquette

Khinkali is eaten plain or with ground black pepper. The meat filling is uncooked when khinkali is assembled, so when it is cooked, the juices of the meat are trapped inside the dumpling. To make khinkali juicier, usually warm water or broth is added to the minced meat. Khinkali is typically consumed first by sucking the juices while taking the first bite, similar to xiaolongbao, in order to prevent the dumpling from bursting. The top, where the pleats meet, is tough, and is not supposed to be eaten, but discarded to the plate so that those eating can count how many they have consumed. In Georgia, this top is called the ''kudi'' (

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

: კუდი, "tail") or ''k'uch'i'' (

: კუჭი, "stomach"). There is a widespread etiquette in Georgia to use only one's bare hands while consuming these dumplings. The using of utensils, like a fork, is considered incorrect or childish. This is because juice is an important part of khinkali; using a fork will rupture the khinkali and the juice will be spilled.

Origins

The concept of dumplings is said to have been carried west from China, across Mongolia, Russia and Georgia, by the Mongols in the 13th century. The origins of ''khinkali'' are unclear: some attribute it to the Mongolian conquests, while others believe it was created in the Georgian mountains. Khinkali, Restaurant Aragvi

According to some legends, ''khinkali'' originated from Mongolia and made its way to Georgia around the 13th century, as Georgia was situated along the

Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...

. Mongolian conquerors would put their meat in dough in order to better conserve it while riding their horses. They themselves probably learned to make dumplings from their Chinese neighbors. However, according to other sources, the traditional dish was invented in the Georgian mountains north of Tbilisi. It used to be a dish eaten mostly by

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...

s during cold and snowy winters. The invention is disputed by both people from the Tusheti and the Pshavi regions. Initially, ''khinkalis'' were stuffed with lamb as it was the most common meat eaten in the mountains. Then, variations were created as it became more popular and reached urban areas. Thus, pork or beef began to be used as a stuffing, and then vegetarian versions were developed. These include mushroom or potato fillings and are commonly eaten in Georgia on

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fasting days.

Regions

Khinkali from Pasanauri is regarded as superior to that from other towns in Georgia.

References

External links