On streets throughout the post-Soviet space, you can generally find the โัะตะฑััะตะบโ (cheburek) โ a juicy, fried, savory pastry โ for sale. This tasty treat likely originated in Turkey or Crimea and its popularity slowly traveled north and eventually spread throughout what is today the former USSR.
Why Itโs Called โCheburekโ
(ะะพัะตะผั ะพะฝะธ ะฝะพััั ัะฐะบะพะต ะฝะฐะทะฒะฐะฝะธะต?)
Cheburek was likely invented by the Crimean Tartars, who speak a Turkic language. The name โcheburekโ comes from the original Turkic, โรiฤ Bรถrek.โ โBรถrekโ refers to a family of baked of fried pastries, made of thin, flaky dough surrounding a savory filling that can range from cheese to meat to vegetables. โรiฤโ loosely translated, means โraw,โ and refers to the fact that the dough is filled with raw meat and the entire dish is fried together.
While some believe the food came from Turkey, another theory is that it is a descendent of the Asian dumpling. Evidence for this is found in Mongolian kitchens, where they serve a dish nearly identical to cheburek but call it โั ัััััโ (khushur).
Of course, given the simplicity of the dish, itโs also possible that it was developed in multiple locations at once.
Another useful piece of information Iโve learned from buying cheburekย from the local corner-store is how to properly ask about the filling. My first instinct was to ask โััะพ ะฒะฝัััะธโ (whatโs inside)? However, after going to the store with native speakers, I have learned that it is far more common to ask โัะตะฑััะตะบ ั ัะตะผโ (cheburek with what)? This little tip will help you be understood more quickly!
How Cheburek Is Eaten
(ะะฐะบ ะฟัะฐะฒะธะปัะฝะพ ะตััั ัะตะฑััะตะบ?)
Cheburek are easy and inexpensive to make and are a great street food, easy to eat without utensils while on the run. They can be found at corner stores, food stands, and restaurants throughout the former USSR. Additionally, many people make these in their homes as well, with the recipe being especially popular in Crimea and southern Russia. They are typically eaten with your hands.
Because the meat is cooked directly in the shell, sometimes there is loose grease inside. So, always make sure to have the half-moon pointing towards the ground when you bite into the cheburek to prevent any spillage โ especially if the pastry is fresh. Cheburekย are also best fresh, when the crispness of the shell with contrast with the moist filling. Given time, the pastry will absorb the moisture and the whole thing can become limp and soft.
How Cheburek Is Prepared
(ะะฐะบ ะฟัะฐะฒะธะปัะฝะพ ะณะพัะพะฒะธัั ัะตะฑััะตะบ?)
Cheburek can be made with a variety of fillings.
Meats used often include โะฑะฐัะฐะฝะธะฝะฐโ (lamb), โะณะพะฒัะดะธะฝะฐโ (beef), and โัะฒะธะฝะธะฝะฐโ (pork). The meat is ground together with seasonings such as โะปัะบโ (onion) and โัะบัะพะฟโ (dill) โ optional to give it extra flavor. Adding a little water, milk, or stock when sending it through the grinder can make the meat a little juicier.
Vegetarian-friendly versions are also relatively common. Cheburek can also be filled with โัััโ (cheese), โะบะฐััะพัะตะปัโ (potatoes), โะณัะธะฑัโ (mushrooms), โะบะฐะฟัััะฐโ (cabbage), or โัะนัะฐโ (eggs). The versatility of cheburekย is one reason why it is a popular choice for anyone!
Some more health-conscious chefs will make cheburekย in an oven. However, they are traditionally fried โ either in a deep-fat fryer or in a skillet with generous amounts of oil.
The size of the cheburek may vary as well โ typically, they will be the size and shape of a thin, hard shell taco. However, โะผะธะฝะธ-ัะตะฑััะตะบะธโ (mini-chebureks; cheburek poppers) can now be bought in many restaurants. Likewise, some stands and cafes make extra-large cheburekย to help set themselves apart from the competition.
Lastly, it should be mentioned that frozen cheburek can now be bought in many grocery stores throughout the former USSR. These are sometimes meant to be microwaved, heated in an oven, or sometimes have been frozen raw and should be thawed and fried. However, much of the experience of this food rests on the contrasts in textures. The shell should be crispy on the outside but soft and chewy inside, with both contrasting with the texture of the soft meat. Generally, we have found, cheburekย that are not prepared, cooked, and eaten fresh should be avoided.
Classic Cheburek Recipe
ะะฐะฒะฐะน ะฟัะธะณะพัะพะฒะธะผ!
| ะงะตะฑััะตะบะธ ะบะปะฐััะธัะตัะบะธะต | Classic Cheburek |
| ะะฝะณัะตะดะธะตะฝัั
ะะปั ัะตััะฐ:
ะะปั ะฝะฐัะธะฝะบะธ:
ะัะธะณะพัะพะฒะปะตะฝะธะต ะขะตััะพ:
ะคะฐัั:
ะะฐะบะพะฝะตั:
|
Ingredients
For the dough:
For the filling:
Preparation The dough:
The minced meat:
Lastly:
|
Our Favorite Cheburek Videos
Coming from a Russian television show called โManly Food,โ this video gives a very thorough demonstration on how to prepare cheburek. The Russian is clear and easy-to-understand, and the host demonstrates the instructions while speaking. After watching this video, you will be sure to learn some new words.
Watch this video to learn more about the Crimean Tartar cheburek.
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