Street Food · Steamed Dumpling

Manty

Photo: Tamara Malaniy / Unsplash · Unsplash License

Manty are steamed, not boiled, stacked in a multi-tiered steamer called a kaskan or mantovarka that sits over a pot of boiling water.

Manty are large steamed dumplings packed with minced lamb or beef, onion, and sometimes pumpkin, pinched closed at the top before steaming. Found at bazaars and roadside cafes, eaten by hand and topped with sour cream, vinegar, or melted butter.

Why it's made this way: Steaming rather than boiling suits a dish built around fatty meat and a rich filling, sealing in the juices; a technique long shared across the Central Asian steppe.