Are you not yet familiar with khinkali, the Georgian dumpling?
You won’t have to wait long, as it is the new arrival in the universal family of dumplings, which includes, of course, its Italian version, the Chinese jiaozi, Japanese gyoza, Vietnamese bánh cuốn, Korean mandu, Tibetan momos, and Eastern European pierogi. The Georgian version, which is XL in size, resembles a pouch filled with a mixture of herbs and spiced meats — lamb, beef, veal, pork — or even cheese. Its thick, classic dough is made from water and flour, and the filling is juicy: khinkali is eaten by hand, and the ritual requires you to first savor the delicious broth, followed by the filling and the dough.
Tip: Do not eat the top of the dough that serves as a handle!
Biting into a khinkali is an excellent invitation to discover the rich cuisine with multiple influences, yet unfortunately still unknown, of this small country in the Caucasus. Several restaurants in Paris offer classics from the culinary repertoire, such as acharuli khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with cheese and topped with a raw egg yolk, or eggplants stuffed with walnut cream. In the stewed dishes section, try chkmeruli, a traditional chicken dish served in a garlic sauce with potatoes, or chakapuli, a lamb stew with wine and tarragon
By Jean-Pierre Montanay
