Uyghur manta

Ingredients for 4

Dough

• 400 gplain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 egg white (optional; makes the thin dough stronger)
• 190 mlwater

Filling

• 500 glamb shoulder (hand-diced to 5-8 mm)
• 50 glamb tail fat or fatty lamb trimmings (diced smaller than the meat)
• 300 gonions (finely diced)
• 200 gpumpkin or butternut squash (peeled and diced to 5 mm (optional))
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspground black pepper
• 1.3 tspsalt
• 3 tbspcold water

Cooking

• 1 tbspneutral oil (for the steamer trays)

To serve

• black vinegar (to taste)
• chilli oil or chilli paste (to taste)

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt, add the egg white if using, then the water a little at a time. Knead 10 minutes to a firm, smooth dough. · timer 10 min
2. Cover and rest the dough 30 minutes. · timer 30 min
3. Mix the diced lamb and fat with the onions, cumin, pepper and salt.
4. Stir in the water and the pumpkin. The onion juice and water keep the filling juicy.
5. Roll the dough into a rope and cut about 20 pieces of 30 g.
6. Roll each piece into a thin round about 12 cm across, a little thicker in the middle.
7. Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre.
8. Gather the edge up around the filling in small pleats and pinch it shut at the top in a little twist. Leave no gaps.
9. Bring water to a strong boil under the steamer. Oil the steamer trays and set the manta on them a finger apart.
10. Steam on high heat until the dough is translucent and the meat cooked through, 25–30 minutes. · timer 28 min
11. Serve hot with black vinegar and chilli for dipping.