Several months back, we were introduced to manti at our local Turkish restaurant. Traditionally, manti are dumplings filled with beef and served with a cream sauce. I had a bite of my husband's and it was delicious.
Initially, I considered making walnut meat to replace the beef, but then a few months later, I saw eggplant manti on the menu at Byblos in Miami Beach. I thought I had found a new solution, but then I remembered the hubby doesn't much care for eggplant.
And then, one day, I came upon this vegetarian version made from #mushrooms. Crisis averted.
Recipe by The Delicious Crescent | Makes: 20 dumplings | Time: 1 hr
Ingredients
Dumplings
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsp EVO
1/2 onion large, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp cilantro chopped
1 tbsp dill chopped
Salt to taste
20 dumpling wrappers (I used wonton wrappers, which made it a little awkward for stuffing, but still delicious!)
Vegetable broth, optional
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain vegan yogurt (I used coconut milk I put in the fridge to make it a little thicker)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt as per taste
Seasoning
2 tsp EVO
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dried mint
Instructions
Manti Filling
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Stir mushroom slices, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Spread it on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until mushrooms start releasing juices and are cooked well. Set aside and let cool.
Once cool, mince the mushroom.
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Then add the garlic and sauté further
Next add minced mushrooms, cilantro, dill and stir well. Add salt as per taste.
Dumplings
Cut each wrapper in two semi circles. Take one semi circle and wet edges with water as indicated with yellow color.
Seal semi circle on the straight side to make a cone shape. Place 1½ teaspoons filling in the center. Next, seal the other curved side.
Wet center of the sealed edge with water, as indicated by the yellow color. And pinch it together to make the dumpling. Finish making all dumplings.
Sauce
Stir the yogurt, grated garlic and salt together. It should have a saucy consistency. Set aside.
Cook the Manti
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water or stock to a boil. Carefully slide in the dumplings and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are cooked well. Using wonton wrappers means it will only take 3 to 5 minutes, though. Drain the dumplings.
Assemble
Arrange dumplings in a single layer on a serving platter. Pour yogurt sauce over manti dumplings.
Heat two teaspoons olive oil or butter. Take it off the stove, then add paprika and ground red pepper. Drizzle this oil all over the dumplings.
Garnish the vegetarian manti with dried mint.
Journal
What I ate and drank today
5 glasses of water (planning on at least 1 more before bed)
3 cups of coffee
Chickpea salad with red bell pepper, green bell pepper, celery, mayo, mustard, seasoning
1/2 cup of olives and feta
Manti
Exercise
~4 miles of walking