Turkmenistan, a Central Asian country, has a cuisine influenced by its nomadic traditions and neighboring regions. One popular dish is “Manti,” which are steamed dumplings filled with meat. Here’s a concise recipe for Turkmenistani Manti:

Ingredients: For the dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• 1 pound ground lamb or beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Fresh dill or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, and salt to make the dough. Knead until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the ground lamb or beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper to make the filling.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is very thin, about 1/16 inch thick.
4. Cut the rolled-out dough into small squares, approximately 2×2 inches in size.
5. Place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of each dough square.
6. Fold the dough over the filling to form a triangle or rectangular shape. Press the edges together to seal the dumpling.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the dumplings into the boiling water and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the dumplings float to the surface and the filling is cooked.
8. While the dumplings are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the paprika.
9. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth.
10. Serve the cooked Manti hot, garnished with the melted butter and paprika sauce. Drizzle the yogurt over the dumplings.
11. Optionally, sprinkle fresh dill or parsley on top for added flavor and presentation.

Enjoy the flavorful Turkmenistani Manti dumplings!