Ask a Mongolian
How do you make Mongolian dumplings? Also, what are some alternative recipes of making ‘buuz’?
(K)
and to this I answer…
Mongolian dumplings or “buuz” [Бууз] are probably one of the most simplest and tastiest dishes I know. Its ingredients are both basic and affordable while delivering a lot of deliciousness in a single filled pocket. All traditional Mongolian cuisines reflects both the extreme continental climate, which reaches temperatures of -40C, and the nomadic life style that 30% of the population practices. For that reason, dairy, meat, flour and animal fats with very few spices or vegetables, are the basis for most Mongolian diets. Just as the Arctic Inuits subsist on a diet rich in animal fat, so too does the nomads of Mongolia, who use the fatty diet to insulate their bodies against the cold harsh weathers. And trust me when I say it gets cold! it’s a feeling unlike a cold you have ever felt, and hence the reason why Mongolians favor meat. And this is also why vegetarians are so rare in Mongolia, although a growing trend of “tsagaan hooltunguud”, or “white eaters” (a.k.a vegetarianism) has been reported. Secondary dishes such as stir fry’s and salads are primarily influenced by Chinese and Russian traditions, while meats such as mutton, cattle, horse and yak are the staple meats. Yogurt, curds and kefir are also commonly used dairy products.
Buuz is one of the most revered traditional dishes in Mongolia, so much so that it would be strange to find a family who does not know how to make the dish. And while Mongolians do love their dumplings and traditional cuisines, at the turn of the twenty-first century, its food industry has grown expansive trending a buffet of worldly exotic goods to consumers both in the city and countryside.
Buuz is commonly eaten steamed, with a traditional ingredients of garlic, onion, ground lamb filling, and optional caraway seeds to use as seasoning. The ingredients and preparation of the buuz is similar to other traditional Mongolian dishes such as “Khuushuur” and “Bansh”. The only differences lie in their size, shape, and cooking methods. Also another variety of buuz is the “Mantuun Buuz”, a kind of dumpling made with yeast dough. So without further ado, I present to you my contemporary style of buuz making below. Its ingredients and creation process, such as folding techniques, steer far away from the traditional way of buuz making, but I thought it would be fun to make the whole process a bit more artistic!
Prepare the Cooking Supplies
You need:
1. Steamer/Pan of some sort with perforated inlays, bamboo steamers work as well.
2. Dough Roller and cutting board.
3. Mixing Bowl for filling.
Collect Ingredients
For my contemporary style dumplings, I used:
(good for 4 servings)
1. Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4-1 cup lukewarm water (to achieve the right consistency of flour)
Filling
2. 1 large carrot, minced (substitute any type of vegetable)
3. 1 1/2 cup steamed white or brown rice
4. 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
5. 3/4 – 1lbs. of fresh broccoli florets, minced (substitute any type of vegetable)
6. 1 medium onion, diced
7. 1 1/2 lbs. ground meat (traditionally mutton is used, but any type of meat, meat substitute, or vegetarian meat options can be used)
Seasoning
1. 2 tbsp. beef/chicken/or vegetable bouillon
2. salt and pepper to taste
3. 2/4 cup vegetable stock
4. 2 tbsp. soy sauce (optional)
5. 1 tsp. caraway seeds (optional)
Prepare the Filling
1. Place all ingredients into mixing bowl.
2. Mix all ingredients with all seasoning.
3. Add water and or vegetable stock until the mass is thoroughly blended and smooth to work with (your hands will work best).
Prepare the Dough
1. Put 2 cups of flour into mixing bowl.
2. Using your hands, create a medium-sized hole in the middle of the flour and add in 3/4-1 cup lukewarm water.
3. Mix flour and water together with your hands or a wooden spoon until blended and dough is smooth and elastic, but not dry. (If you need to add a little water, do so with a teaspoon one at a time to avoid making the dough too sticky.)
4. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a clean, well-floured surface. A wooden board or clean table is best. (If the pliable dough is very moist or sticky, sprinkle additional flour over the top.)
5. Knead the dough. Gather into a pile and begin pressing it together. Repeat the press-fold-turn sequence until the dough is firm.
6. Place mixing bowl upside down and on top of the dough ball. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Cutting the Dough
1. After 15 minutes, knead the dough a bit more until soft upon pinch. Cut dough into 4 equal parts.
2. Divide each 4 part dough into 2 equal slices, then roll out the slices into a 1 inch thickness.
3. Cut the rolls into smaller pieces of 1.2 inches.
4. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten the pieces between your palms. Place all pieces into mixing bowl and sprinkle some flour on the balls to avoid them sticking to each other.
5. Using the dough roller, roll out pieces of dough into circles of about 3 inches in diameter. Roll from the outside in to make a disk that is slightly thicker in the middle than the edges. (This is so the dumplings don’t break during steaming)
6. It is best only to roll as many circles as you can process further within a few minutes. Forming the pockets will be more difficult when the dough is already starting to dry.
Form the Pockets + Different Decorative Buuz Designs
The decorative design/pinching style of the buuz is a matter of honor and signature style of the cook. At first, the result will probably look a bit clumsy, but with practice you can perfect your craft! There are of course several different possibilities to form the buuz, but the beginning is always the same.
Most Mongolian experts produce small buuz miracles in no time, almost without looking. I first learned to make buuz alongside my mother and only when I was about 17 years old did I learn to make buuz independently.
Spiral Buuz
This shape is one of my signature designs. It stands out because of its intricate spiral detail. Because it doesn’t have a an opening at the top, the buuz creates a lot of juices when steamed.
1. Make an ‘O’ with your open hand (the left one for righties and vise versa). Place the dough disk on top of your hand, and place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center.
2. Fold the edge at one side, and press it together between your thumb and forefinger.
3. Create another fold next to the previous one, slightly offset to the outside, and press it together as well. Keep a consistent pinching pattern. Make sure your thumb stays at the same starting place while your forefinger goes all the way around the until it reaches the starting point again.
4. When done right, then the design will result in a spiral ring, keeping the pocket together at the top.
Semicircular Buuz
This shape is normally reserved for other similar dumpling dishes like khuushuur or bansh, but as shown here, it is extremely quick to produce.
1. Repeat step 1 from above. Fold the circle into half, to create a crescent shape with the edges symmetrical to each other.
2. Press the corners of the semi-circle and work your way up along the edges, taking turns pressing with the thumb then forefinger to close the Buuz.
3. When done right, the design will result in a vertical woven like pattern, keeping the pockets together at both the top and bottom.
Lotus Buuz
I got creative with this one, the design takes inspiration from the traditional round buuz.
1. Repeat step 1 from above. Fold two opposite points of the circle together, making the shape of the number ‘8’.
2. With each of the two circular openings, pinch your way around the two edges pressing with your thumb and forefinger.
3. When done right, the design will look like an Egyptian lotus flower, keeping the two pockets together facing each other in the center.
Hemi-sphere Buuz
This shape is probably one of the easiest designs, there is no complex pinching involved!
1. Repeat step 1 from above. Fold the circle into half, to create a crescent shape with the edges lying on top of each other.
2. Press the edges together along the semi sphere to close the buuz.
3. Place the buuz on its “back”, and compress the round edge by lifting the ends. This will result in various shapes, with a meandering edge. The end result should look similar to the semicircular buuz, except with a more pointed ridge.
Sirius Star Buuz
Here is another creative shape, just like the brightest star in the sky, the design shines inspiration from the spiral buuz.
1. Repeat step 1 from above. Press between 5-7 pocket wings from any side of the circle using your thumb and forefinger.
2. Be sure to close the large opening in the center.
3. When done right, the design should look like a star, gathering together a group of pockets at the top.
The Ultimate Buuz Collection
Here is a collection of buuz designs that I have created from the top of my head. As you can see, I got pretty carried away with creating innovative creations, so hopefully you can make a shape of your own! The process is pretty simple once you acquire an idea for the basic steps from the shapes above. Here are some wacky names I came up with for each buuz designs:
1. Clam Buuz
2+3. Hamesntaschen Buuz
4. Traditional Round Buuz
5. A.I Buuz
6. X Buuz
Cooking the Buuz
The finished buuz are cooked under steam without pressure. The easiest way to do this is to use a steamer with perforated inlays. If you just have inlay sets, then you can place them inside a normal pan and steam the buuz as well. Mongolians commonly use flat and wide inlays for wok type pans on the stoves in the traditional yurts.
1. Most Mongolians like to apply cooking oil on the inlays, or dip the bottom of each buuz in oil before they steam, in order to avoid sticking later on, but a better option is using paper towel sheets instead of the oil. So before you heat up the water in the steamer/pan, place a large sheet of paper towel on the inlays, then align the buuz inside, ideally without touching each other, remember that they will expand during steaming.
When the water comes to a boil, insert inlays, close the lid, and wait for about 15-20 minutes. If you are steaming frozen buuz, then it should take an extra 10 minutes to steam.
2. You will know when the buuz is done when everyone in your house smells the deliciousness. Another way of checking us to observe the color of the dumplings. When the time is up, open the lid, and fan some air to the buuz, eg. with the pot lid. This will give the entire batch a nice glossy look, and a tasty slightly beige color on the outside with a reddish-brown color inside.
Serving Suggestions
Traditional Mongolian cuisines knows very little vegetables, which is why buuz are considered a meal of its own. But its common for people to add side dishes such as salads or soups, and condiments like Ketchup, soy sauce, peanut sauce, hot sauce or other condiments. When served with sides, the buuz dish will easily feed more than 4 people.
Of course, modern technology has a way of clashing with traditional elements, so all of the traditional Mongolian dishes like buuz, bansh, and khuushuur are sold in Mongolian supermarkets frozen, packaged and ready to cook. But the originality, ingenious designs, and taste of homemade buuz is always better by all principle. Saihan hoollooroi! (Good Eating!)
[Research sources cites 1, 2]
[All images used on this post © Hi.Lite.Head 2011, if you’d like to use any, simply link back.]
hilite head 
elaborate?