Dushbara
Dushbara is the Azerbaijani soup of tiny dumplings the size of a fingernail, cooked in clear broth and dusted with dried mint. Size matters in Azerbaijan: the smaller the dumplings, the more practised the hands that shaped them — by tradition eight should fit on one spoon. This much dough makes over two hundred of them, so shaping takes well over an hour and is best done with company or in front of a film. The broth must be clear, and garlic vinegar is served separately so everyone can season their own bowl.
Your own work in that: 1 h 30 min.
- Dough 15 min
- Resting the dough 30 min
- Shaping 75 min
- Cooking 15 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneKnead the dough
Mix the flour with the salt, egg and water and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and firm — firmer than pasta dough. If it crumbles, add water a teaspoon at a time.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 1 pcs egg · 50 ml cold water · ½ tsp salt
Rest the dough
Wrap in cling film and rest 30 minutes. Rested dough rolls out far thinner.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 1 pcs egg · 50 ml cold water · ½ tsp salt
Make the filling
Grate the onion or mince it with the meat. Mix the meat with the onion, salt and pepper into a smooth paste.
Ingredients: 200 g minced lamb or beef · 1 pcs onion · ½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Roll it thin
Divide the dough into three. Roll each piece to about 1 mm — the grain of the board should show through. Keep the other pieces under a cloth so they do not dry out.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 1 pcs egg · 50 ml cold water · ½ tsp salt
The dough should be translucent.Cut and fill
Cut the sheet into 3 cm squares — the whole batch gives about 200–220 of them. Put a pea-sized dot of filling (about 1.5 g) in the middle of each — the tip of a knife is enough.
Ingredients: 200 g minced lamb or beef · 1 pcs onion · ½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
A pea of filling, no more.Shape the dumplings
Fold each square into a triangle, seal the edges carefully, then join the two bottom corners. Set them on a floured tray.
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour · 1 pcs egg · 50 ml cold water · ½ tsp salt
Cook
Bring the stock to the boil in a pot of about 4 litres. Add the dumplings in batches of around 70 and cook 4–5 minutes from the moment they float. Skim the foam to keep the broth clear, and top it up with boiling water if it reduces too far.
Ingredients: 1500 ml clear meat stock · 2 tsp dried mint · 3 tbsp white wine vinegar · 2 cloves garlic · ¼ bunch coriander or parsley
Four to five minutes after they float and they are done.Serve with mint and vinegar
Ladle into bowls and dust with mint crushed between your fingers, plus coriander. Mix the vinegar with crushed garlic and serve separately so everyone seasons their own.
Ingredients: 1500 ml clear meat stock · 2 tsp dried mint · 3 tbsp white wine vinegar · 2 cloves garlic · ¼ bunch coriander or parsley
Before you start
Make ahead
Since you are at the rolling pin anyway, make a double batch of dough and filling: freeze the spare raw dumplings on a tray without letting them touch, then bag them. Cook from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
The broth
Lamb or beef stock on the bone is best, but good chicken stock works. It must be clear — dumplings cooked in cloudy broth look grey.
Storage
Do not store cooked dumplings in the broth or they go soggy. Keep broth and dumplings separately in the fridge for up to 2 days.
