Mongolian Buuz Beef Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or lamb, with some fat
• 24 round dumpling wrappers
• 1 large onion, very finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup cold water or beef broth
• 1 tsp ground caraway or cumin
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the steamer
• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream, to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Mix the beef with the onion, garlic, caraway, soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and plenty of black pepper.
2. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously in one direction after each addition until the meat absorbs it completely.
3. That water is what makes buuz juicy inside. Without it the filling steams into a dry, crumbly lump.
4. Keep stirring in one direction for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and holds together as a mass. Chill it for 20 minutes.
5. Lay a wrapper on your palm, put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre, and pleat the edges upward, pinching as you turn, to close it into a purse with a small opening at the top.
6. Do not overfill or the seam will split in the steamer. Keep the unused wrappers under a damp cloth so they stay pliable.
7. Oil the steamer basket well so the dumplings do not stick, and arrange them with space between them, since they swell.
8. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 15 to 18 minutes, until the wrappers are translucent and the filling is firm and cooked through. Serve straight away with the yogurt and scallions.

Allergen note: Contains gluten, soy, and dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.