Name: Meskhetian Goose Apokhti Khinkali (dumplings with dried goose)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 600 g all-purpose wheat flour; 270 ml cold water; 8 g fine salt; 400 g commercially prepared, ready-to-cook goose apokhti, finely diced; 8 g garlic, finely crushed; 2 g ground black pepper; 1,000 ml water, divided between batches; 35 g unsalted ghee, divided between batches; 0–2 g fine salt, only if needed after tasting the apokhti; 180 g yellow onion, thinly sliced; 25 g unsalted ghee

A shallow pan of Meskhetian goose apokhti khinkali simmered in ghee water and topped with soft onion.

Yieldabout 36 small dumplings

Servings6; 6 dumplings per serving.

Active preparation50 minutes

Cooking55 minutes, in two covered batches

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The dish

About Meskhetian Goose Apokhti Khinkali (dumplings with dried goose)

### მესხური ბატის აპოხტის ხინკალი

Apokhti is Meskheti's salted, dried meat preserve, and goose apokhti khinkali is one of the region's distinctive ways to serve it. These small dumplings use thin, firm dough cut into squares rather than the pleated shape of familiar soup khinkali.

Finely diced goose apokhti is folded into the dough with garlic and black pepper. The short seam is left slightly open, then the parcels cook gently under a lid in ghee-enriched water until the dough is tender and the filling is hot throughout.

The finished dumplings are spooned with soft golden onion cooked in ghee. This home batch starts with commercially prepared apokhti; keep and handle that product according to its label.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Meskhetian Goose Apokhti Khinkali (dumplings with dried goose)

Dough

600 gall-purpose wheat flour
270 mlcold water
8 gfine salt

Filling

400 gcommercially prepared, ready-to-cook goose apokhti, finely diced
8 ggarlic, finely crushed
2 gground black pepper

Cooking liquid

1,000 mlwater, divided between batches
35 gunsalted ghee, divided between batches
0–2 gfine salt, only if needed after tasting the apokhti

Onion topping

180 gyellow onion, thinly sliced
25 gunsalted ghee

Method

Prepare the filling. Check the apokhti label. If it calls for rinsing or soaking, follow those directions; otherwise dice the ready-to-cook goose finely. Mix with the crushed garlic and black pepper.
Make and rest the dough. Combine flour and salt. Add the cold water gradually and knead 8–10 minutes to make a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
Cut and fill. Roll the dough evenly thin, about 1–2 mm. Cut 36 small squares, about 7–8 cm across. Place roughly 11 g filling in the centre of each; fold the edges over and pinch them closed, leaving a short opening at one side.
Set up the cooking liquid. Bring half the water and half the ghee to a gentle simmer in a wide, deep lidded pan. Taste before adding any salt. Arrange half the dumplings in one layer; the liquid should come about one-third to halfway up their sides.
Cook in batches. Cover and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, carefully turning the dumplings once. Add a little hot water if the pan becomes dry before the dough is tender. Check a representative dumpling with a thermometer; the goose filling should reach 74 °C. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining water, ghee and dumplings.
Make the topping and serve. While the second batch cooks, melt the topping ghee in a small pan and cook the onion over medium-low heat until soft and golden. Spoon it over the hot dumplings and serve at once.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Apokhti varies in saltiness. Follow its package directions and taste a small cooked piece before adding any salt to the cooking liquid.
Roll the dough evenly thin, about 1–2 mm, so the small parcels cook through without tough edges.
Leave only a short vent at one edge, to distinguish them from pleated, broth-filled khinkali; do not form standard pleated soup dumplings.

Practical guidance

If the apokhti is very salty, use only the lower-sodium product preparation stated on its label; do not try to mask salt with extra dough seasoning.
Keep unused filling refrigerated while shaping, and return any commercially prepared apokhti to storage as directed on its package.
Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours at 4 °C or colder; use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to 74 °C.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Approximate values for 6 dumplings with a share of onion topping:

Energy: about 610 kcal.
Carbohydrates: about 80 g.
Protein: about 36 g.
Fat: about 14 g.
Fibre: about 3 g.
Sodium: about 900 mg; apokhti labels vary substantially.
Basis: one-sixth of this 36-dumpling batch; dry-goose nutrition is estimated from a USDA-linked Cornell venison-or-goose jerky proxy, so the package label is preferable when available.

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat/gluten and milk from ghee. Use commercially prepared goose apokhti from a reputable supplier and follow its storage and preparation label; use only commercially prepared apokhti and follow the package directions. Do not salt-cure and air-dry raw goose at home using this recipe. Cook the filled dumplings until the centre of the goose filling reaches 74 °C. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours, hold at 4 °C or colder for 3–4 days, and reheat to 74 °C.

Serving and finish

The parcels should be small and square-folded, with tender dough, distinct goose cubes and a short open seam—not pleated soup dumplings.
Serve immediately with the soft onion and ghee spooned over the top.

About Meskhetian Goose Apokhti Khinkali (dumplings with dried goose)

Ingredients

Dough

Filling

Cooking liquid

Onion topping

Method

Tips for success

Practical guidance

Estimated nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Serving and finish

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