Small steamed dumplings filled with spiced ground beef and onion, topped with a garlicky yogurt sauce and a split pea and tomato topping.
Afghan Mantu is a real, traditional Afghan dish, known as Steamed Dumplings with Beef and Yogurt Sauce. Small steamed dumplings filled with spiced ground beef and onion, topped with a garlicky yogurt sauce and a split pea and tomato topping.\n\nMantu reflects Afghanistan's Silk Road connections to Central Asian dumpling traditions, traditionally served for special occasions, layered with both a cooling yogurt sauce and a warm, savory legume sauce for a distinctive contrast.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Afghan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Mix flour, salt and warm water into a firm dough, kneading for 8 minutes. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
Combine ground beef, half the diced onion, coriander, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly.
Roll the dough thin and cut into squares about 8 cm across. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each, and fold up the corners to seal into a small purse or bundle shape.
Arrange the dumplings in a lightly oiled steamer basket and steam over boiling water for 30 to 35 minutes until the dough is cooked through.
Cook the remaining onion with garlic and turmeric until soft, then add cooked split peas and diced tomatoes, simmering for 15 minutes into a chunky sauce. Separately, mix yogurt with minced garlic and a pinch of salt.
Arrange the steamed mantu on a platter, spoon the garlic yogurt over them, then top with the warm split pea and tomato sauce, and garnish with fresh mint.
Fold the dumplings into a secure purse shape, pinching the top firmly, since a loose seal will let the filling and juices escape during steaming.
Oil the steamer basket well to prevent the delicate dumplings from sticking.
Layer both sauces as described — the cool yogurt and the warm split pea sauce together are essential to the traditional presentation and flavor balance.
Some households use ground lamb instead of beef for a richer flavor.
A vegetarian version fills the dumplings with mashed potato and onion instead of meat.
Add a drizzle of dried mint oil over the top for extra fragrance.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Mantu reflects Afghanistan's Silk Road connections to Central Asian dumpling traditions, traditionally served for special occasions, layered with both a cooling yogurt sauce and a warm, savory legume sauce for a distinctive contrast.
A multi-tiered steamer helps for larger batches, but any large steamer basket over a pot of boiling water works well.
Yes, freeze the shaped, uncooked dumplings on a tray before transferring to a bag; steam directly from frozen, adding extra steaming time.
The basket wasn't oiled enough — brush it generously with oil before arranging the delicate dumplings.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 6 servings total
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