Afghan Dumplings with Lamb Kofta and Yogurt Sauce
Yogurt (we used whole milk Greek Fage), ground lamb, tomato sauce, onion, scallion, wonton wrapper, garlic, white vinegar, and a cadre of spices: garlic powder, paprika, dried mint, coriander...
Look at us, all mise-en-placed!
Right this way, onions. (No Amanda this week -- she's still in Rockville, Md. for the launch of Whole Foods Market Cooking -- but as you'll see later, Merrill has other friends around to lend...
Some lovely local ground lamb joins the pan. Katie Morford says to break it up like taco meat, so we do.
Next up -- tomato sauce (looking very Bolognese-y, right?).
A shower of spices -- this is where it veers away from the Bolognese archetype.
A mountain of scallions destined for filling.
Merrill tackles the heap, cutting them into 3-inch lengths to get them ready for the food processor.
Scallions, prepare to meet your maker.
Keep a distance when you remove the lid -- otherwise you'll look like you've been watching The Age of Innocence instead of making dumplings.
The paste gets cooked briefly to tame the scallions' bite.
Another shower of salt and spice (red pepper flakes, to be exact).
Christmas!
Yogurt sauce -- just add garlic powder, salt and dried mint. Stir. Done. (Katie Morford actually has you keep the mint separate to sprinkle on at the end -- your call.)
See?
Jennifer jumps in to help Merrill with dumpling assembly.
Using store-bought wonton wrappers helps speed up the process.
Jennifer recruits Amanda's daughter Addie -- the more the merrier!
Now, we'll let Addie show you how to make a dumpling. First, wet the edges with a little water so they'll seal.
With your blob of filling in place, grab the far corner.
Fold toward you.
Seal the corner first.
Then seal the whole dumpling by pressing along the edge.
Bring the two far corners together, and pinch!
Like folded dinner party napkins, ready to sink into a hot bath.
As they cook, they'll bob to the surface.
Fish them out with a slotted spoon and drain them briefly on a paper towel-lined plate.
Almost dumpling time!
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Author Notes: This is a recipe from Afghan Cooking Unveiled, the blog I write along with Humaira Ghilzai. It comes from Humaira's mother, Jeja. Traditionally Aushak is made in community: families gather and assemble the dumplings. Then, everyone sits down to a delicious meal together. This dumpling is traditionally filled with something called gandana, which is in the onion family. Since gandana is hard to find, we use scallions instead. - Katie Morford - Katie Sullivan Morford
Food52 Review: This Afghan dish (known as aushak) is destined to become our new favorite comfort food. Much like a meaty ravioli, deconstructed, the filling components are divided and their flavors concentrated -- the wonton wrapper is filled with a sharp, peppery scallion paste, and warmly spiced tomato lamb sauce is strewn across the top. A cooling yogurt sauce tempers the kick and pulls it all together. The most magical part? All of these pieces come together swiftly, especially if you can round up a helper or two for dumpling assembly. - A&M - A&M
Makes 25 dumplings
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound scallions, washed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 package won ton wrappers
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried, ground garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- In a large pan, saute the chopped onion over medium heat in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the lamb and sauté until cooked through, breaking it up like finely minced taco meat. Add the tomato sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the paprika, coriander and black pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly for 20 minutes. Set aside.
- While the meat is cooking, trim the root off the scallions and finely chop, using the entire onion (both white and dark green parts). A food processor is useful here. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and add the green onions, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the crushed red pepper. Turn heat to low and sauté until tender, 10 minutes. Set aside.
- To assemble the dumplings, fill a small bowl with water and put it at your work station. Set a won ton wrapper on your work surface and dip your finger into the water. Moisten the edges along two connecting sides of the wrapper. The water will serve as glue for the dumpling. Put about a teaspoon of sauteed green onions in the center of the wrapper. Fold the dough in half over the green onion in the shape of a triangle. Use the tip of your finger to firmly press the edges of the dough together to form a tight seal. Next, lift the two longest points of the triangle and press them together, creating a little circle over the dumpling. It will look like a fancy napkin fold.
- While you are assembling the dumplings, bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Add the vinegar. Once all of the dumplings are done, immerse them in the water and boil according to directions on the won ton package (about 4 minutes).
- While the dumplings are boiling ,quickly make the yogurt sauce. Stir together the yogurt with the garlic and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Gingerly scoop the cooked dumplings out of the water with a slotted spoon, a few at a time, and arrange on a large platter. Spoon the yogurt over the dumplings and the ground meat on top of that. Sprinkle with dried mint and serve immediately.
- Your Best Dumplings Contest Winner!
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4 months ago hghilzai
You can definitely make the meat sauce and the yogurt at least one or two days ahead of the time. As for the dumplings, you may stuff them and freeze or refrigerate until you are ready to boil. I suggest if you are making the dumplings more than one day ahead of time that you freeze it. I hope this helps. - Humaira (www.afghancooking.net)
4 months ago hchambers86
Are there components of this that can be made ahead? I'd like to make it for a surprise birthday dinner but want to make sure that I have the timing right!
Thanks!
4 months ago PaulaE
I have made this dish at least 10 times now, and every single friend I've served it to has asked for the recipe. It's a real stand-out and a permanent part of my go-to repertoire. Thank you, Katie and Humaira. I've started visiting your wonderful blog for more Afghan ideas.
4 months ago hghilzai
You are very welcome and thank you for making our recipe - Humaira
4 months ago hghilzai
I want to thank all the fabulous Food52 cooks for trying our recipe and your wonderful comments - Humaira (www.afghancooking.net)
4 months ago za'atar
I've made this recipe 5 times since discovering it a month ago. So delicious! As easy as spaghetti with meat sauce, but with a new flavor profile that spices things up. Yum.
5 months ago Nazmul Hussain
The actual name of this Afghan dish is Mantu ( most commonly made with minced beef). The vegetable (leek) dumplings are called Aushak.
4 months ago hghilzai
You are right, Mantu usually has minced beef inside the dumpling and a yogurt sauce as a topping. The dish featured in this book has sautéed leeks with minced beef sauce & yogurt. Aushak is the correct name as noted in the book. I submitted this recipe from my blog www.afghancooking.net.
about 1 year ago PaulaE
This is a new family favorite. The only variation I've used, and it's amazing, is to substitute fresh mint for dried. I mince up a big handful of the fragrant herb and mix it into the yogurt with the garlic. This adds to the fresh, bold taste of the dish.
over 1 year ago AllisonGG
Just made these this weekend, and they were amazing! My 1-year old was thrilled with the dumplings, while my husband liked the lamb the best. Thanks for a great recipe.
over 1 year ago mboerner
Question: What is meant by "tomato sauce"?
4 months ago hghilzai
I used an organic canned tomato sauce which you can purchase at any grocery store. Tomato sauce is usually made with a puree of tomatoes with savory vegetables and other seasonings.
over 1 year ago mboerner
A problem: Whatr is meant by "tomato sauce"?
over 1 year ago mboerner
A problem: Whatr is meant by "tomato sauce"?
almost 2 years ago rs1139
i made this this past week and am IN LOVE. we did a homemade tomato sauce and made it extra spicy... mmm! we also used greek yogurt, which i think gave it extra mph.
almost 2 years ago MTMitchell
We made this last night, and it was fantastic. It was a huge hit with my husband, who is usually a pretty "selective" eater, and I also really enjoyed it. The green onion filling was a tiny bit too strong for my liking (again, though, my husband thought it was perfect), so I might cut it with something next time, but definitely a keeper. Thanks!
almost 2 years ago mzmecz
For sygyzy, the Helmand in Chicago serves "leak dumplings" (my favorite dish in the whole city) and they are mild and sweet. You might try leaks in place of scallions or half and half.
almost 2 years ago golgappa
This is one of my favorite dishes that my Afghan sister-in-law makes except that she stuffs the dumplings with the meat and then just garnishes with the yogurt-sour cream garlic sauce….yummy!
4 months ago hghilzai
The dish your sister in-law makes is called Mantoo, it is another type of Afghan dumpling and also one of my favorite. I will post a Mantoo recipe on my blog (www.afghancooking.net) so you all can try it.;
almost 2 years ago student epicure
made this for sunday dinner -- delicious!!!
almost 2 years ago ellent124
Can't wait to try! I used to order this all the time at an Afghan restaurant that was on M Street in Gorgetown in the late '70s. I found a recipe, but it wasn't quite the same--maybe this will do the trick!
almost 2 years ago HungryForMore
This was a great recipe! I can't wait to make it again.
about 2 years ago sygyzy
I made this, substituting beef, and it's quite good but I had one issue with it. Is it just me or did anyone else feel that the filling (scallions/green onions) were very harsh in flavor. It's part of the onion family and as such reminded me of eating raw onions (like on a burger). I cooked it for over 10 minutes and it tasting like eating raw scallions. Very harsh. Anyone?
about 2 years ago HollowLeg
This was amazing. And I added some of the leftover garlic yogurt to my scrambled eggs this morning. Some of the best scrambled eggs I've ever made!