Mantu (Afghan Steamed Lamb Dumplings with Yogurt)
Local name: منتو
In short: Steamed dumplings filled with spiced lamb and onion, served under garlic yogurt and a tomato and split pea sauce with dried mint. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 50 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Mantu are the large, juicy steamed dumplings Afghan families make for celebrations and guests, often with the whole household helping to fill them. Each is a small purse of thin dough holding spiced lamb and onion. They are served warm on garlicky yogurt, topped with a tomato sauce thickened with yellow split peas and a pinch of dried mint, and the mix of hot, cool and sour is the point of the dish.
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt and add the water gradually until a firm dough forms. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Mix the filling ingredients by hand for 1 minute until sticky, then chill.
- For the sauce, fry the onion in the oil for 6 minutes until golden. Add the ground lamb and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, turmeric and salt, then add the water and split peas. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick.
- Stir the yogurt with the garlic and salt and leave at room temperature.
- Roll the dough out as thin as you can, about 1.5 mm (1/16 in). Cut into 8 cm (3 in) squares and put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the center of each.
- Bring the four corners up over the filling and pinch the seams together to seal each dumpling into a small purse.
- Oil the steamer tiers and set the dumplings on them with space between. Steam for 25 minutes, until the dough is translucent and the filling is cooked (71°C/160°F).
- Spread the yogurt on a platter, set the mantu on top, spoon over the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the dried mint.
Tips
- Keep the dough you are not using covered with a damp cloth, as it dries out quickly. Finely chop the onions so the filling stays moist.
- Beef or a mix of beef and lamb works too. For a vegetarian filling, use finely chopped pumpkin and onion.
Questions and answers
Can I freeze mantu?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, uncooked dumplings on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Steam from frozen for 30 to 35 minutes.
What is the difference between mantu and aushak?
Mantu have a meat filling and are steamed, while aushak are filled with spring onions or leeks and are boiled. Both are served with yogurt and a meat sauce.
Do I need a steamer?
Any steamer works, or place a heatproof plate on a rack in a covered wide pot over simmering water. Cook in batches and oil the plate.
How long does it take to make Mantu (Afghan Steamed Lamb Dumplings with Yogurt)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Mantu (Afghan Steamed Lamb Dumplings with Yogurt)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 28 g of protein, 52 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 1400 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
