Khinkali — Georgian soup dumplings — originated in the mountain regions of Pshavi and Tusheti, where shepherds needed a hot, filling, portable meal. The dumpling is large (much larger than Chinese xiaolongbao), filled with seasoned meat (traditionally lamb and beef, now also pork) mixed with onion, cumin, and chilli flakes, and sealed with a distinctive pleated knot (the kudi). The filling is raw when the dumpling is formed — it cooks inside the sealed dough, generating a pocket of intensely flavoured broth.
- **Never cut a khinkali with a knife.** The knot is your handle. Pick up the dumpling by the kudi (pleated top), turn it upside down, bite a small hole in the side, drink the broth, then eat the rest of the dumpling. Cutting it with a knife releases the broth — which is the entire point of the dish. - **The knots stay on the plate.** The dough of the kudi is too thick and chewy to eat (it is meant to be a handle, not food). Leaving the knots on your plate is how you count how many you've eaten. It's a point of honour. - **The broth inside is the prize.** When done correctly, the raw meat filling generates its own broth during steaming. The dumpling should be juicy enough that the first bite releases a spoonful of hot, spiced liquid. If the khinkali is dry inside, it has failed.
FRENCH REGIONAL DEEP — THE STORIES ESCOFFIER NEVER WROTE