Dumplings are one of the most popular and favorite dishes in many countries, especially in Russia and the CIS countries. They can be an excellent option for both an everyday dinner and a festive table. They can be accompanied with various sauces and consumed both hot and cold.
You must remember: in order for the meatballs to turn out really tasty, it is important to follow the correct cooking technology. The chef explained all the nuances of cooking.
What will we tell you about:
Prepare ingredients
If you choose frozen dumplings in a store, the first thing you should do is check them for damage and sticking together; These semi-finished products indicate improper storage conditions and pose a health hazard.
The advantage of frozen meatballs is that they do not need to be defrosted before cooking and they do not require a long time to cook.
If you don’t trust supermarket ready-made meals and prefer to cook your own meatballs, choose your ingredients carefully.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Far700
The dough will need flour, water, eggs and a little salt. It should be elastic and not too thick so that the meatballs do not fall apart during cooking.
As for the filling, the traditional option in Russian cuisine is minced meat or minced meat (chicken, pork or beef) with the addition of finely chopped onion.
For cooking, choose a suitable pan; It should be large enough for the meatballs to float freely without sticking to each other. Pour enough water into the container so that it completely covers the culinary product, add a little salt to improve the taste and other spices to taste. It can be bay leaf, garlic, coriander, black pepper.
Cooking process
Chef of the Ferma cafe at City Farm in VDNKh
“Gave a step-by-step guide to cooking meatballs.”
Step 1. Pour water into a saucepan in a ratio of 1 to 3 and place over high heat.
You can add a little salt and a bay leaf, but not whole, but half. An excellent option is to cook meatballs in previously prepared vegetable broth with a carrot and an onion.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Ekaterina Markelova
Step 2. Boil water, add salt and spices to taste.
Step 3. Reduce heat to medium and place dough balls in hot water.
Step 4. Then add two tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the bottom.
A multicooker is also suitable for cooking. Cook in the “Cooking” mode for about five minutes.
cooking time
The cooking time varies and does not depend on the size of the meatballs, but on the thickness of the dough.
On average, you need to cook them for about seven minutes, stirring occasionally.
If you overcook the meatballs, the dough will soften and fall apart; you will have separate pieces of dough and meat. If you don’t finish cooking, you run the risk of the dough being raw.
The meatballs are ready
To make sure the dumplings are ready, remove one from the pan and carefully cut it. The filling should be fully cooked and the dough should be soft and elastic. If the filling is raw, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Photo: istockphoto.com/Arx0nt
If all the meatballs float to the surface, then they are ready.
Service
Once the dumplings are ready, carefully place them in a strainer to remove excess water. It is not necessary to drain the broth, but you do need to add it to the dish.
It is best to serve the dish hot. Sour cream, vinegar and water, soy sauce, butter, hot sauces or garlic seasonings go well with meatballs. You can add fresh herbs, such as dill or parsley, for flavor.
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