Cooking Khuushur or Mongolian Meat or Potato Pockets

Featuring Chef Dulmaa

Our featured chef, Dulmaa, grew up in a small, peaceful village in Mongolia and is currently living in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. She graduated from the National University of Mongolia with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and is now working for YUM! brands as a supply chain management specialist. She loves sharing the culture of Mongolia with others, especially those who are unfamiliar with nomadic culture and tradition.

Khuushur (or Khuushuur) is a Mongolian meat or potato pocket or dumpling that is fried. It can be made from any cut of meat or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients to gather ahead of time

Filling:

• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb of mashed potatoes
• 1 onion minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Dough:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups water (more or less)

Oil for frying

Directions

Making the Meat or Potato Filling

1. Mix all the ingredients except the flour in a bowl and set aside.

Making the Dough

1. Add flour to another bowl and slowly add water while mixing the dough by hand until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky
2. Remove dough from bowl and divide into four
3. Take one piece of dough and cover the rest with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out
4. Roll into a thick rope and cut into 1.5″ pieces.
5. Shape each piece into a flat circle about 4″ in diameter.
6. Stuff with tablespoon of meat and seal the ends of the circle, using a bit of water. Pinch the ends together to seal them fully.
7. Repeat until you use up the remaining filling and dough.

Frying the Pockets

1. Heat oil in a wok or pan to medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes. You need enough oil in the pan so that the pockets don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. You’ll know it’s hot enough when you drop in a piece of dough and the oil bubbles around it.
2. Place the pockets into the pan to fry about 4-6 minutes on each side, flipping them once. They’ll become a golden brown color when done.
3. Scoop the finished pockets out of the oil and place on a plate or bowl. Finish frying all the pockets and enjoy!