Mantı from Kayseri province (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
All You Need to Know About Mantı
From making the dough and exotic fillings to various cooking methods and luscious toppings, mantı is a delicate symphony of flavours and textures!
Mantı from Kayseri province (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Layers of Flavor
Most traditional mantı recipe consists of boiling small pieces of dough, filled with seasoned minced meat, in water.
With the addition of garlic yogurt, a tomato-butter sauce and spices, the dish have multiple layers of lavish flavours with a distinct flavour profile.
Yağ mantı (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Bringing Out the Flavours
Right before mantı is served, garlic yogurt and a butter sauce made with tereyağı (Turkish churned butter), red pepper flakes, and sometimes salça (Turkish tomato/pepper paste) is poured on top.
Also, a sprinkle of sumac and dried mint creates a richer, authentically complex taste.
Preparing handmade mantı (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Traditional Craftsmeship
While the ingredients are widely available, traditional mantı-making is an artisanal process that has its own intricacies. Kneading unleavened dough until it is smooth is the first step in mantı preparation.
After the resting dough is rolled out thinner than 1 mm and cut into squares, the filling is evenly distributed on top.
Each piece is then folded into two, followed by folding the opposite corners to firmly seal the mantı. The prepared mantı is either boiled, steamed, fried or baked.
Piruhi (mantı with strained yogurt, eggs and dried mint) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Regional Influence
While the most widely known mantı içi (mantı filling) is made with minced meat, onions and spices, there are other varieties made with potatoes, chicken and even lentils in different regions. It is also topped with regional spices and homemade sauces before consumption.
Turkish mantı filling (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
That's mantı - a flavour-packed masterpiece, adorned with regional spices and homemade sauces, igniting your taste buds with every bite.
