Mantı (Turkish Dumplings with Garlic Yogurt)
مانتی (لہسن والے دہی کے ساتھ ترکی پکوڑیاں)
Mantı are tiny dumplings, traditionally so small that a bride was judged by how many fit on one spoon. They came to Anatolia with Turkic peoples from Central Asia, and are relatives of the Afghan mantu many Pakistanis know. Little squares of thin dough are filled with a pinch of spiced mince, pinched closed, boiled, and served under cool garlic yogurt, with butter sizzled with pepper paste and poured over the top. It takes time, so make it with family.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 15 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 15 min
- Hard
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the flour, egg and salt with enough water to make a firm, smooth dough, a little stiffer than roti dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Mix the mince, squeezed onion, parsley, black pepper and salt into a smooth paste. Mix the yogurt with the garlic and a pinch of salt and leave at room temperature.
Roll the dough as thin as you can, about 1 mm, on a floured surface. Cut it into 3 cm squares.
Put a chickpea-sized pinch of filling on each square. Bring the four corners up to the middle and pinch the edges together to make a little closed parcel. Keep them on a floured tray.
Bring a large of salted water to a boil. Add the mantı and cook for 8–10 minutes after they rise to the surface, until the dough is tender. Drain.
Melt the butter in a small pan, add the pepper paste and fry for 1 minute, then take off the heat and stir in the pul biber and mint.
Divide the hot mantı between plates, spoon over the garlic yogurt, and pour the red butter on top. Serve at once.
Kitchen notes
Make a big batch and freeze the uncooked mantı on a tray, then in bags. Boil from frozen for 12 minutes.
A pasta machine or a long thin rolling pin (like a gözleme oklava) makes rolling thin dough much easier.
Short on time? Use wonton wrappers or very thin samosa patti cut into squares.
From Central Asia to Kayseri
Mantı travelled west across Central Asia with the Turkic peoples, and the city of Kayseri in central Turkey is now famous for it. Kayseri mantı are tiny, and making them is a social event: friends and family sit around a table rolling, cutting and pinching for an afternoon, then freeze trays for the months ahead.
Three parts
The dough is firm, enriched with an egg, and rolled very thin. It needs a rest to relax before rolling.
The filling is a simple raw mince with grated onion, parsley, salt and pepper, just a pinch per dumpling.
The topping is what makes mantı special: cool, garlicky yogurt spooned over the hot dumplings, then butter fried with pepper paste and poured over the top, with a sprinkle of dried mint. It’s the same hot-and-cold contrast as çılbır.
A good project for Pakistani families
Anyone who has made samosas or chicken samosas in bulk before Ramadan knows the rhythm. Gather the family, divide the jobs, and freeze what you don’t eat.
Serving
Serve straight away, while hot, with extra pul biber and dried mint on the table, and a glass of ayran.
Questions people ask
Is mantı the same as Afghan mantu?
They're related. Afghan mantu are larger, steamed, and often topped with a lentil or meat sauce. Turkish mantı are tiny, boiled and served with garlic yogurt and red butter.
Do they have to be so small?
No. Larger 5 cm squares are faster to make and taste just as good, just less traditional.
Can I bake them instead of boiling?
Yes. Some Turkish cooks bake the parcels in a buttered tray until golden, then add hot stock and bake for 10 more minutes before topping.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 560
- Protein
- 26 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
