How to Eat Dumplings in Georgia
2023-04-17
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1In the Caucasus Mountains nation of Georgia, dumpling-eating is a serious activity.
2"I'm not Georgian, but the first rule I learnt when I came to Georgia was how to eat khinkali," says Sergei Shirinsky.
3He says he is now a dumpling expert.
4Georgian khinkali is a national symbol and source of pride.
5It is usually filled with a mix of raw ground beef and pork, as well as herbs and spices.
6It is then boiled and served hot.
7Khinkali is also the reason behind many mealtime debates.
8"You should know that it's eaten with hands only. That's the first rule," Shirinsky says.
9Usually, eaters hold a single khinkali by its base.
10Its base is a collection of dough brought together during the folding process to bring the dumpling together.
11Then, eaters bite into the soft underside, being sure to eat any juices in the process.
12The second rule is no condiments -- things added to give food a stronger taste.
13"If you add something other than pepper you can go to prison in Georgia," Shirinsky jokes.
14The exact beginnings of the dumpling in Georgia are unclear.
15But khinkali has been prepared in towns and villages across the country for centuries.
16Different areas of the country still argue over who invented it and who makes it best.
17Modern versions include a variety of different stuffing choices like Georgian sulguni cheese, mushrooms and potatoes.
18Khinkali-making has also become popular among the millions of tourists that visit the country every year.
19In the capital Tbilisi, retired doctor Irina Djandieri offers cooking classes in her living room.
20"It's fun, it's fascinating and in the end it is very tasty," she says.
21"Every week we have a khinkali day in our family... It's a great excuse to gather with friends and relatives," says Christine Mamasakhlisi.
22She is a dance teacher from Tbilisi.
23"Everything revolves around khinkali here," she says.
24"This is not just a dish, it's an integral part of Georgian culture and identity."
25I'm Dan Novak.
1In the Caucasus Mountains nation of Georgia, dumpling-eating is a serious activity. 2"I'm not Georgian, but the first rule I learnt when I came to Georgia was how to eat khinkali," says Sergei Shirinsky. He says he is now a dumpling expert. 3Georgian khinkali is a national symbol and source of pride. It is usually filled with a mix of raw ground beef and pork, as well as herbs and spices. It is then boiled and served hot. 4Khinkali is also the reason behind many mealtime debates. 5"You should know that it's eaten with hands only. That's the first rule," Shirinsky says. 6Usually, eaters hold a single khinkali by its base. Its base is a collection of dough brought together during the folding process to bring the dumpling together. Then, eaters bite into the soft underside, being sure to eat any juices in the process. 7The second rule is no condiments -- things added to give food a stronger taste. 8"If you add something other than pepper you can go to prison in Georgia," Shirinsky jokes. 9The exact beginnings of the dumpling in Georgia are unclear. But khinkali has been prepared in towns and villages across the country for centuries. Different areas of the country still argue over who invented it and who makes it best. 10Modern versions include a variety of different stuffing choices like Georgian sulguni cheese, mushrooms and potatoes. 11Khinkali-making has also become popular among the millions of tourists that visit the country every year. 12In the capital Tbilisi, retired doctor Irina Djandieri offers cooking classes in her living room. 13"It's fun, it's fascinating and in the end it is very tasty," she says. 14"Every week we have a khinkali day in our family... It's a great excuse to gather with friends and relatives," says Christine Mamasakhlisi. She is a dance teacher from Tbilisi. 15"Everything revolves around khinkali here," she says. "This is not just a dish, it's an integral part of Georgian culture and identity." 16I'm Dan Novak. 17Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters. 18___________________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20pride - n. a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc. 21raw - adj. not cooked 22condiment - n. something that is added to food to give it more flavor 23tourist - n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure 24fascinating - adj. very interesting or appealing 25integral - adj. very important and necessary