Chuchvara

Chuchvara is a very small dumpling typical of Uzbek cuisine. Made of unleavened dough squares filled with meat, it is similar to the Russian pelmeni and the Chinese wonton, but in observance of the Islamic dietary rules, the meat filling is without pork. The dough for chuchvara is made with flour, eggs, water, and salt, unrolled in a layer 1—1.5 mm thick, and cut into squares. A dollop of meat filling, seasoned with chopped onions, pepper, salt, and thyme, is placed at the center of each square, and the corners are pinched and folded. Chuchvara is boiled in salt water or meat broth until the dumplings rise to the surface. Chuchvara can be served in a clear soup or on their own, with vinegar or sauce based on finely chopped greens, tomatoes, and hot peppers. Another popular way of serving chuchvara is topped with syuzma (sour milk) or with sour cream Russian-style.

A nearly identical dish is also found in Tajik cuisine, where it is known as tushbera.

References

• Chuchvara on pelemeni.ru (Russian). See English translation here
• Chuchvara in Uzbek cuisine (with a photograph)

See also

Ravioli Kreplach Tortellini Maultasche

Wonton Pierogi Vareniki

Pelmeni Mandu Manti

Khinkali Jiaozi Gyoza