Manti, also
manty,
mantu,
mantou, or
manties (
Turkish Manti,
Kazakh ?????,
Kyrgyz and
Uzbek ?????,
Persian ????), are a type of
dumpling in
Turkish and various
Central Asian and
Caucasian cuisines, closely related to the east Asian
baozi and
mandu. Manti dumplings consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef, in a dough wrapper. It is either boiled or steamed. The word is used only in plural, referring to the collection of dumplings on a plate or in a pot.
Manti were carried across Central Asia to Anatolia by migrating Turks in the Chingizid-Timurid periods. According to Holly Chase, "Turkic and Mongol horsemen on the move are supposed to have carried frozen or dried manti, which could be quickly boiled over a camp-fire".[citation needed] In Turkey it is also called Tatar böregi (Tatar bureks), which indicates its relation to nomadic peoples. Manti are popular throughout the former Soviet Union, where the dish spread from the Central Asian republics.
In Turkish cuisine, manti are typically served topped with yogurt and garlic and spiced with red pepper powder and melted butter. Ground sumac and/or dried mint can be added to taste. Manti may be made from shredded meat of quail or chicken in some regions of Turkey.
In Afghan cuisine, the mantu are filled with a ground lamb or beef mixed with pureed onions and spices, steamed and then topped with yogurt, dried or fresh mint, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, and coriander. Sometimes the mantu are topped with split peas, red kidney beans, and/or ground beef as well. Chatney, a spicy green or red pepper condiment sauce, may be sprinkled on top. Afghan style Mantu are very popular in the Chitral region of Pakistan. In Chitral and neighbouring Gilgit mantu are served simply with only black pepper and vinegar.
