CENTRAL ASIAN BEEF AND LAMB DUMPLINGS

Central Asian Beef and Lamb Dumplings image

Time 4h

Yield Makes 8 first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 (1/4-lb) piece boneless lamb shoulder
1 (1/4-lb) piece boneless chuck
1 medium onion (6 oz), finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
Accompaniments: melted butter; sour cream
a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee/spice grinder; a 3-inch round cutter

Steps:

Thinly slice lamb and beef, then finely dice. Transfer to a bowl and add onion and cilantro.
Grind cumin with mortar and pestle or in grinder and stir into meat mixture. Chill, covered,2 hours.
Blend flour, salt, and eggs in a food processor until crumbly. With motor running, add water and blend until dough just begins to form a ball. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Wrap dough in wax paper and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Halve dough and rewrap 1 half. Roll out remaining half on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut out rounds (about 16) with cutter and cover rounds with wax paper. Discard scraps. Stir salt and pepper into filling. Lay a clean kitchen towel on a work surface and dust with flour.
Keeping remaining rounds covered, hold 1 round in palm of your hand and put a scant tablespoon of filling in center. Moisten edge of round with a finger dipped in water and fold round in half to form a half-moon, pinching edges together to seal. Put on flour-dusted towel. Repeat with rest of rounds, then with other half of dough.
Cook dumplings in 2 batches in a large pot of boiling salted water, turning occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to plates and serve immediately.