Khuushuur (Хуушуур) — Crisp Mongolian Fried Meat Pockets

• 1⅛ lball-purpose flour
• 5 gfine sea salt
• 1.1 cupwarm water (about 40°C)
• 1⅛ lbground mutton or fatty ground lamb
• 2yellow onion (finely minced, about 220 g total)
• 3 clovegarlic (finely grated)
• 2 tspground black pepper
• ¼ cupcold water (for juiciness)
• 3.2 cupsunflower oil (about 75 ml is absorbed; discard the remainder after frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough by mixing the flour and 5 g salt in a wide bowl. Add the warm water gradually while stirring, then knead for 8 minutes until the dough is firm, smooth, and less sticky than bread dough.

2. 2

   Cover the dough with an overturned bowl or a clean kitchen towel and rest it for 30 minutes at room temperature. This rest relaxes the gluten, making the khuushuur wrappers easier to roll thin without tearing.

3. 3

   Prepare the filling while the dough rests. Combine the ground mutton or lamb, minced onion, grated garlic, 7 g salt, black pepper, and 60 ml cold water, then mix firmly for 2 minutes until the meat looks sticky and cohesive.

4. 4

   Divide the rested dough into 12 equal portions of about 62 g each. Roll each portion into a ball, keep them covered, and work with one piece at a time so the surface does not dry out.

5. 5

   Roll one dough ball into a 16 cm circle, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edge. Place about 55 g filling on one half of the circle, leaving a 1.5 cm border for sealing.

6. 6

   Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon and press the edge firmly to expel trapped air. Seal by pinching, crimping, or pressing with the side of your thumb, because a tight seal keeps the meat juices inside during frying.

7. 7

   Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy pot or deep skillet to 175°C. Use enough oil for the khuushuur to fry without touching the bottom too aggressively, and maintain the temperature between 170°C and 180°C for even browning.

8. 8

   Fry 2 or 3 khuushuur at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Do not crowd the pan, because crowded oil cools quickly and makes the pastry greasy instead of blistered and crunchy.

9. 9

   Drain the fried khuushuur on a wire rack set over a tray for 3 minutes. Serve them hot, when the crust is crisp and the meat filling is still juicy, traditionally with suutei tsai or simple pickled vegetables.