Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dumpling Dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 150 ml water, room temperature
- 3 g salt
Scallion Filling
- 200 g scallions, finely chopped
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Meat Sauce
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 250 g ground beef, lean
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 3 g ground coriander
- 2 g ground turmeric
- 3 g salt
- 100 ml water
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 250 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 garlic, grated or crushed into a paste
- 2 g salt
- 2 g dried mint
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 76 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 140 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 1 mg
- Potassium
- 89 mg
- Calcium
- 21 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 7 mg
- Phosphorus
- 38 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 28 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually pour in the water, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, combine the chopped scallions, salt, black pepper, olive oil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Toss well until the scallions are evenly coated.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat. Cook until the meat is fully browned and reaches an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Stir the minced garlic, ground coriander, turmeric, salt, and tomato paste into the beef mixture. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices, then pour in the water. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, grated garlic paste, and salt until smooth. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
Divide the rested dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1.5mm. Use a pastry cutter or glass to cut out 7cm circles.
Place a heaping teaspoon of the scallion filling in the center of each dough circle. Lightly moisten the edges with water, fold over into a half-moon shape, and press firmly to seal, ensuring no air bubbles remain inside.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the dumplings into the boiling water in batches to avoid crowding. Cook until they float to the surface and the dough is tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the cooked dumplings from the water. Spread half of the garlic yogurt sauce onto a large serving platter. Arrange the hot, drained dumplings over the yogurt in a single layer.
Top the dumplings with the warm meat sauce, drizzle the remaining garlic yogurt over the top, and sprinkle generously with crushed dried mint. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To save significant prep time, square or round store-bought wonton or gyoza wrappers can be substituted for the homemade dough.
- Salt the scallions right before assembling the dumplings. If salted too early, they will release water and make sealing the dough difficult.
- The contrast of temperatures is key to this dish. Ensure the meat sauce and dumplings are piping hot, while the yogurt remains cool.
- Crushing dried mint between your palms before sprinkling releases its essential oils and dramatically improves the aroma.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the dumplings, yogurt, and meat sauce in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze uncooked dumplings in a single layer before transferring to a bag. Do not freeze yogurt sauce.
Reheating: Microwave meat sauce until hot. Steam refrigerated dumplings for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Serve over cold yogurt.
Troubleshooting
Dumplings open or burst during boiling
Cause: Edges were not sealed properly or too much filling was used
Fix: Cannot be fixed once broken in water. Use a slotted spoon to rescue intact dumplings
Prevention: Ensure edges are completely dry of oil, moisten with water, and press firmly to eliminate air pockets
Dough is too tough or rubbery
Cause: Dough was not rested long enough or was rolled too thick
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Allow dough to rest a full 30 minutes to relax gluten, roll to 1.5mm thickness
Cultural Context
Aushak (or Ashak) is a traditional Afghan dish often prepared for special occasions, holidays, and gatherings due to the labor-intensive assembly process. It showcases the regional mastery of balancing rich, spiced meats with the cooling tang of yogurt and the sharp brightness of fresh herbs.
