Dumplings - The Russian Champion From Siberia

2025 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 10:18

Russian cuisine is varied and delicious, tempting with original dishes and drinks. Among the classics from the largest country in the world are the well-known in Bulgaria borsch, pies and pancakes, as well as fish in all forms, mead, vodka.

However, they are undoubtedly one of the most recognizable Russian specialties the dumplings.

They come from the raw distant Siberia and are dough pieces, most often stuffed with minced meat and onions and flights with the obligatory cream for the Russians. Their spread in different parts of the world has added to the traditional filling and other options and dumplings can now be eaten stuffed with fish, mushrooms, various meats, cheeses or vegetables.

In their original form, they appeared in the Urals in the late 14th century. Their name comes from a similar word, characteristic of the Finno-Ugric language group, which literally means an ear of bread. They are believed to come from frosty Siberia, because it is there that this quick way to preserve meat in the cold of long winters, stored in a dough shell, was found.

Furthermore the dumplings were preferred by Siberian hunters who were looking for easy to prepare and nutritious food that they could carry in a frozen state during their long voyages.

The classic dumplings are made of minced beef, pork and mutton, wrapped in a mixture of flour, eggs and water. When they are already formed, they are prepared in hot salted water. In addition to cream, the dumplings are served with butter, mustard and various spices.

For generations, Russians have prepared them in their families during gatherings, holidays and meetings. The larger the family, the greater the number of dumplings prepared. It is common practice in Russia, when cooked, to cook some in hot water and freeze others.

There are different versions of Siberian dumplings in Ukrainian, Belarusian, Tatar and Chinese cuisines. After going through a kind of processing of different national tastes Russian dumplings are transformed into Ukrainian varenki, Chinese zherzi, Turkish and Kazakh manti, Caucasian hinkali, Italian ravioli. The main difference between the classic dumplings and their variety is in the shape, size and thickness of the dough shell.

It is assumed that the classic dumplings are spherical with a diameter of about 2-3 cm, with as thin a dough as possible. Frozen in packages, pelmeni can be easily found in Russian stores around the world.