Uzbek chuchvara

Step 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Beat 1 egg with ¾ cup cold water, pour it in and work to a stiff dough. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth and firm, then wrap and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: Mix 9 oz minced lamb, 7 oz minced beef, 2 onions, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¾ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Beat in 3 tbsp iced water a spoonful at a time until the mince looks sticky and juicy. Keep it in the fridge while you roll; raw mince should not sit out for more than an hour.

Step 3: Cut the dough in quarters. Roll one piece out very thin, about 1 mm, so the board shows faintly through it. Keep the rest covered so it doesn't dry out.

Step 4: Cut the sheet into 4 cm squares. Put a small half-teaspoon of filling in the middle of each square.

Step 5: Fold each square into a triangle and pinch the edges shut, pushing the air out. Bring the two long corners together around your fingertip and press them together, like a tiny tortellini. Lay them on a floured tray.

Step 6: Bring 7 ½ cups lamb or beef stock to the boil in a large pan with 2 bay leaves and season with ½ tsp salt. Drop in the dumplings in two batches, stirring once so they don't stick to the bottom.

Step 7: Simmer gently for 6–8 minutes after they float (10–12 minutes from frozen). Cut one open: the filling should be firm, grey all through and steaming hot, and the dough tender at the folded corner. The filling needs to reach 160°F.

Step 8: Ladle the chuchvara and broth into bowls. Top with ½ oz fresh dill, a spoonful of 5 ½ oz suzma or sour cream and a pinch of ½ tsp dried chilli flakes if you like heat. Cool leftover broth and dumplings quickly and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days.