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Kalakuri Khinkali

Make Georgian kalakuri khinkali with beef, pork, herbs and broth sealed in tender pleated wrappers

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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A platter of whole pleated kalakuri khinkali with Tbilisi rooftops softly visible in the background.
Yield36 large dumplings
Serving6 dumplings per person; about 410–420 g raw ingredient allocation
DifficultyModerate to high; the soft filling must be sealed securely inside each wrapper
DietContains wheat (gluten) and egg; made with beef and pork
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The dish

About Kalakuri Khinkali

Kalakuri Khinkali: Tbilisi-Style Georgian Soup Dumplings

Kalakuri khinkali are large Georgian dumplings with a tightly pleated top and a savory broth held inside the wrapper. This Tbilisi-style filling combines ground beef and pork with onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin and coriander. Ice-cold water loosens the meat mixture so the dumplings stay juicy as they boil.

The dough should feel firm and smooth after kneading, while the filling should be soft enough to spoon. Roll each wrapper with a slightly thicker center and a thinner rim; that center supports the filling as you pleat the edge closed. Keep shaped dumplings apart on a lightly floured tray and cook them in batches so they have room to move.

Khinkali recipes vary across Georgia. This city-style version uses minced beef and pork with fresh herbs and cumin. It is boiled and served plain with black pepper. The topknot makes a useful handle, and the broth is sipped carefully through a small bite in the side.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Kalakuri Khinkali: Tbilisi-Style Georgian Soup Dumplings

Dough

  • 700 gall-purpose wheat flour
  • 1large egg (about 50 g without shell)
  • 300 mlroom-temperature water
  • 4 gfine salt
  • 20 gadditional flour for dusting

Filling

  • 450 gchilled ground beef (about 85% lean)
  • 300 gchilled ground pork (about 80% lean)
  • 300 gyellow onion, very finely minced
  • 9 ggarlic, finely grated (about 3 cloves)
  • 30 gfresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 20 gfresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 gground cumin (about 1½ teaspoons)
  • 2 gground coriander (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 gred pepper flakes (about ½ teaspoon)
  • 3 gground black pepper (about 1½ teaspoons, divided between filling and serving)
  • 6 gfine salt
  • 280 mlice-cold water

Cooking water

  • 5 Lwater
  • 15 gfine salt. Most cooking-water salt is discarded and is not included in the nutrition estimate
Method

Method

  1. Make the dough. Whisk the egg with 300 ml room-temperature water and 4 g salt. Add the mixture to 700 g flour and mix, then knead for 10–12 minutes until firm and smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Keep the extra 20 g flour for dusting.

  2. Season and hydrate the filling. Combine the chilled beef and pork with the onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 2 g black pepper and 6 g salt. Mix in the 280 ml ice-cold water in several additions, incorporating each addition before adding the next. The filling should be soft and spoonable, not watery. Keep it refrigerated if the kitchen is warm.

  3. Roll and fill. Divide the dough into 36 equal pieces and keep them covered. Roll each piece into a 15–16 cm round, leaving the center slightly thicker than the edge. Add about 39 g filling to the center. Gather the rim into pleats, twist the top closed and press firmly to seal in the filling and broth. Set each dumpling on the lightly floured tray without letting them touch.

  4. Boil in batches. Bring 5 L water and 15 g salt to a boil in a large pot. Stir the water into a gentle whirlpool and lower in up to 12 dumplings, leaving room for them to move. Stir carefully once so they do not stick to the base. Keep the water at a steady boil.

  5. Cook through and check. Once a batch floats, boil it for 8–10 minutes more, until the wrapper is tender. Check the center of a representative dumpling with a clean instant-read thermometer; the meat must reach 71.1 °C (160 °F). Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon. Bring the water back to a boil before cooking each remaining batch.

  6. Serve hot. Arrange the dumplings on a warm platter and use the remaining black pepper at the table. Hold each dumpling by its topknot, carefully bite into the side and sip the hot broth before eating the filling and wrapper. The thicker topknot is commonly left on the plate.

Practical guidance

Success points

  • Add the ice-cold water to the meat in several additions and mix it in fully; the finished filling should be loose and spoonable, not runny.
  • Seal every pleat and leave space around the dumplings in the pot. A leak can drain the broth, while crowding can tear the wrappers.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

The filling is deliberately loose, so work with cold meat and cold water and seal each wrapper firmly. If the edge will not hold, wipe away any meat or liquid on the rim before pleating. Keep unshaped dough covered so it does not dry out. Flour the tray lightly; too much loose flour can cloud the boiling water. Cook a small test batch first if you are new to the pleating technique, and keep the remaining shaped dumplings apart while the pot is occupied.

For the best texture, boil only the amount you plan to serve. Keep uncooked ground meat at or below 4 °C and use within 1–2 days. Refrigerate cooked dumplings in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, store at or below 4 °C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a covered steamer until the center reaches 74 °C (165 °F); vigorous boiling can split the wrappers.

Serve khinkali as soon as they leave the pot. Take a small bite at the side first because the broth is very hot. Black pepper is enough at the table; the topknot gives you a place to hold the dumpling without squeezing out its broth.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: 6 dumplings; about 410–420 g raw ingredient allocation
  • Energy: ~767 kcal
  • Carbohydrate: 98 g
  • Protein: 37 g
  • Fat: 24 g
  • Fibre: 5 g
  • Sodium: ~757 mg

Approximate estimate for one sixth of the complete recipe using general ingredient composition values. Dough and filling salt are included; the 15 g added to the boiling water is excluded because the water is discarded. The batch estimate is about 4,600 kcal, 587 g carbohydrate, 223 g protein, 142 g fat, 27 g fibre and 4,540 mg sodium. Meat fat content and the amount of salt retained vary, so values are not laboratory analysis.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat (gluten) and egg. Keep raw ground meat refrigerated and separate from ready-to-eat food; wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it. Do not taste raw filling. The meat center must reach at least 71.1 °C (160 °F), measured with a clean instant-read thermometer. Floating dumplings and tender dough indicate texture, not safe internal temperature. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours.

Serving cues

Serving cues

  • The wrappers should be tender and intact, gathered into sealed tops; broth should remain inside each dumpling.
  • A properly cooked dumpling feels plump rather than waterlogged; open a test piece to check doneness and take the temperature reading before serving.
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