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Dushbara
Düşbərə: tiny lamb dumplings in a clear mint broth
Dushbara is the test of a patient cook in Azerbaijan: dumplings so small that a dozen fit on a spoon, filled with lamb and onion and served in clear bone broth. Families in Baku and the Absheron towns make them for New Year and Novruz, everyone sitting around the table folding together. At the table each bowl gets dried mint, a little crushed garlic in vinegar, and sumac. Over-filling is the usual problem; too much meat and the edges won't seal, so the dumplings open in the pot. Chef's tip: make the broth from lamb bones the day before and chill it, so you can lift off the fat and the soup stays crystal clear.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth
For the dough
For the filling
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make the broth a day ahead: put 2 ¼ lb lamb bones, 10 ½ cups water, 1 onion and 2 bay leaves in a pot, bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 hours. Strain, season with 1 tsp salt, cool and chill overnight. Lift off the fat the next day.
180 minStep 2: Mix 12 ½ oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt, add 1 egg and ½ cup cold water and knead to a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Mix 12 ½ oz minced lamb with 1 onion, ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper until sticky. Keep it in the fridge until you need it.
Step 4: Roll a quarter of the dough very thin, about 1 mm, and cut it into 2.5 cm squares.
Step 5: Put a chickpea-sized blob of filling on each square. Fold into a triangle, press the edges shut, then pinch the two long corners together. Set on a floured tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
60 minStep 6: Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Add the dumplings and cook for 5–6 minutes after they rise to the surface, until a test one has firm, fully grey filling that is steaming hot (160°F).
6 minStep 7: Mix 3 cloves garlic with 4 tbsp white wine vinegar. Ladle dumplings and broth into bowls, rub 2 tsp dried mint between your palms over each and add 1 tsp sumac if you like. Pass the garlic vinegar round for everyone to add a few drops. Freeze any uncooked dumplings on the tray, then bag them; cook from frozen for 8 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dushbara take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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