Afghan Mantu (Steamed Dumplings with Beef and Yogurt Sauce)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gall-purpose flour
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for dough)
• 220 mlwarm water
• 400 gground beef
• 2yellow onions(finely diced, divided)
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for filling)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 200 gyellow split peas(cooked)
• 3tomatoes(diced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 400 gplain yogurt
• 2garlic cloves(minced, for yogurt sauce)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh mint(to garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, salt and warm water into a firm dough, kneading for 8 minutes. Rest covered for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Combine ground beef, half the diced onion, coriander, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly.

3. 3

   Roll and fill

   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.

4. 4

   Steam

   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.

5. 5

   Make the toppings

   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.

6. 6

   Serve

   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.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

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.

Frequently Asked Questions