from The Matryoshka Memoirs
Chebureki (singular cheburek) are fried turnovers filled with minced meat (beef, lamb, pork, veal or chicken) mixed with onions and garlic. They are popular in Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia. They were introduced to the Russians by the Turkic Tatars, who are considered by most to be the indigenous people of Crimea. They can be eaten as a snack or served with other foods for dinner.
Ingredients
Dough:
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
Meat filling:
1 lb of minced meat
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
1/2 cup of water
(Any kind of herbs could be added, i.e. parsley, cilantro, or rosemary according to taste)
For frying:
About 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in your fry pan.
Instructions
To make the dough, combine dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the water. Prepare the dough by kneading until smooth and elastic and form into a large ball. Cover the kneaded ball with a glass bowl. Leave it out at room temperature for about 1 hour. Cut the dough into four pieces. Keep three covered under the bowl. Place one piece on a lightly floured cutting board. Roll it out to slightly thinner than 1/8 of an inch thick. Place a 6-8 inch diameter bowl or plate on the dough as close to the edge as possible. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut around the bowl or plate to make a dough circle. Make as many circles as you can and reroll the scraps to make more.
Take the raw ground meat of your choice and use your hands to combine with the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, water and optional herbs. Mix all together and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to soften the onions.
Once the meat mixture has chilled, spread a heaping tablespoon over half of one of your dough circles. Leave a half inch border at the edge. Fold the dough over the mixture to make a half moon shape. Using a fork or your fingers, seal it at the edges.
Heat 3/4 inch of oil in a frying pan until hot. Carefully place 1 or 2 chebureki into the pan for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side until they are golden brown and small dough bubbles have formed.
Place on a paper towel to remove excess oil. If you like the dough crunchy, serve immediately, but it is also possible to place all the chebureki in a roaster covered with foil and heated at a low heat later. These chebureki will be softer but also delicious.
Makes about 15-18 chebureki
Enjoy!
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Every culture has their version of dumplings. My grandmother made these and varied the filling, making every meal a different experience. Get creative and change things up to suit your family’s tastes.
Contents and images used with permission by Author, Sasha Colby. https://www.sashacolby.com/