Chuchvara is a very small
dumpling typical of
Uzbek cuisine. Made of unleavened
dough squares filled with meat, it is similar to the
Russian pelmeni and the
Chinese wanton, but in observance of the
Islamic dietary rules, the meat filling is without
pork. The dough for chuchvara is made with flour, eggs, water, and salt, unrolled in a layer 1-1.5 mm thick, and cut into squares. A dollop of meat filling, seasoned with chopped onions, pepper, salt, and
thyme, is placed at the center of each square, and the corners are pinched and folded. Chuchvara is boiled in salt water or meat
broth until the dumplings rise to the surface. Chuchvara can be served in a clear soup or on their own, with vinegar or sauce based on finely chopped greens, tomatoes, and hot peppers. Another popular way of serving chuchvara is topped with
syuzma (sour milk) or with
sour cream Russian-style.
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