FRESNO — If you ever wished for dumplings that are shaped like boats with the meat visible inside, try making these delicious Armenian dumplings called manti. You can use either ground beef or ground lamb or a combination of beef and lamb, and they are traditionally served with either plain yogurt, a yogurt-based sauce, or a red sauce.
The California Armenian Home Guild held a successful Monté (Armenian Manti) Workshop on Saturday, January 31.The workshop began in the American Citizens’ League Hall (AACL) kitchen where veteran manti maker, Fresno’s Talene Karkazian demonstrated how to make the beloved meat mixture and prepare the dough to over 40 enthusiastic participants. Each participant received a ball of fresh dough and was instructed to go into a larger hall set up with covered tables, rolling pins, pizza cutters, small baking tins, and meat mixture and begin making their own manti.
“Manti are dumplings common throughout the South Caucasus and Central Asia. They are made and consumed by different cultures including the Armenians and Turks. The concept of manti first reached Cilician Armenia through cultural interactions between Armenians and Mongols in the 13th century. Then migrating Turkic-speaking peoples learned of manti from the Armenians and took it with them to Anatolia, where it became popular,” writes the Mission Food Adventure food blog. “These manti dumplings are a creative variation on the traditional Armenian dish manti. While manti are actually Armenian dumplings, these are more Asian-style dumplings. They encompass all the flavors we know and love from the original recipe from our family.”
According to Talene Karkazian, “Early dumplings traveled along the Silk Road with nomadic cultures. They were designed to be portable, nourishing, and shared. Migrators from The Silk Road brought the dumplings to Anatolia, where they evolved into Armenian manti — while Armenian communities took their specific boat-shaped variations throughout their diasporas. Armenians didn’t just adopt manti — they transformed it by being the first to bake it. Armenian adaptations include: the dumplings became smaller. They were often baked first, not just boiled, and they were served with garlic yogurt and butter with Aleppo pepper or paprika (or made with soup). In the Armenian culture, manti came a communal dish often made for holidays and family gatherings.”
“When everyone finished filling their baking trays, they were labeled and put into the freezer until after lunch. The lunch was manti made by Talene and Mary Ekmalian, with a choice of toppings of garlic yogurt, red sauce, fresh parsley, sumac, Aleppo pepper, and/or cumin, a green salad, and homemade bourma for dessert. Thank you to Azadig Bidanian, Talene Karkazian, Jane Knar, Barbara Mortanian, Cherye Caire, and Patty Torosian who were available to help anyone needing individual assistance,” says Mary Ekmalian.
“Talene Karkazian holds a master’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences, which includes studies in cooking, sewing, and other creative arts. She has taught fashion at the college level and cooking to junior high and high school students, sharing her knowledge with students of all ages. She learned to cook from her beloved grandmothers, aunts, and her mother — anyone with the patience to teach her. One of the recipes she is most passionate about is this special manti dish, a traditional dish that has been passed down through her family,” added Ekmalian.
