Mongolian Filled Pockets (Khuushuur) with Homemade Fresh-Tomato Ketchup

If you’ve ever been to a “Mongolian stir-fry” or “Mongolian barbecue” restaurant, actually you haven’t. There’s no such thing. Stir-fries and barbecues are as authentic to Mongolian cuisine as tofu tacos are to Mexican.

No offense to chain restaurants or California, but when you want to prepare something native to a certain culture or locale in your own kitchen, make the recipe as real as possible—even from afar.

What I’ve read, heard, studied, learned about true Mongolian cuisine is this:

• It isn’t Chinese.
• It is very meat-based, particularly fatty mutton and beef.
• Fresh vegetables don’t weigh heavily in homemade recipes. (It’s cold there.)
• Onions, garlic, and cabbage appear regularly.
• Good bread and other flour products are staples. Thus, dumplings and filled pockets.

“Khuushuur” are only one of a few types of Mongolian pockets, distinguished mostly by shape and preparation (others are steamed or boiled). Khuushuur are circles of dough filled and pinched into half-moon shapes (think empanadas) then fried. And the filling is simple: ground mutton or beef mixed with finely chopped onion and garlic, sometimes cabbage. Spices are minimal: salt, pepper, sometimes caraway.

Khuushuur are often eaten simply by themselves, but ketchup is a common accompaniment. For this recipe, I decided to make my own ketchup, using fresh tomatoes and a few other ingredients for a little spicy, sweet condiment to dunk the khuushuur into.

The bottom line for this Mongolian-style dinner is this: simple, fresh, and real. (At least as real as you can get stateside.)

Makes 16 filled pockets

Ingredients

For the Ketchup

• 1 lb large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• sea salt

Tomatoes for the Ketchup 

Chopped Tomatoes

For the Khuushuur

• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting and as needed
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 lb ground chuck (or mutton)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 very small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• peanut oil (enough to measure about 1/4-inch deep in a 12-inch skillet)

Preparation

For the Ketchup

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the tomatoes break down and the mixture is fairly thick, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Tomato Mixture Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Ketchup

1. Place the mixture in a food processor and process until pureed. Taste for salt, and stir in more if needed. Place the ketchup in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Use right away, or keep refrigerated 2-3 days.

Homemade Fresh-Tomato Ketchup

For the Khuushuur

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Gradually add the water, mixing to form a pliable dough. (Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.) Form into a ball and cover with a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes.

Dough Ready to Rest

1. While the dough rests, place the meat, garlic, onion, cabbage, and caraway in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Combine well.

Ground Beef Mixture

1. Cut the rested dough in half. (Keep one half covered or wrapped while you work with the first half.) On a floured surface, roll out the dough very thinly, to about 1/10-inch thickness. Press a 4-1/4-inch-diameter bowl or saucer into the dough and run a sharp knife around the edge to cut out a circle.
2. Place the circle on a sheet of wax paper and continue with the remaining dough, re-rolling the leftover dough until there’s not enough to place the saucer on. (Stack the dough circles between sheets of wax paper to prevent sticking or drying.)

Note: If you are making the circles a day ahead, wrap the wax paper edges over them and place in a freezer bag. Freeze overnight and thaw to room temperature before proceeding.

Thinly Rolled Dough

Dough Cut into Circles 

Dough Circles Layered on Sheets of Wax Paper

1. Remove the wax paper 1 sheet at a time, and spread 1/16 of the meat mixture (about 1-1/2 tablespoons) over 1 half of the dough circle, leaving enough edge for folding. Fold the other half of the circle over the filling and pinch 1 edge closed. Gather a tiny piece of the dough next to the closed edge and crimp it closed. Continue gathering and crimping until you reach the other side of the half circle.

Note: Don’t worry if the crimped edges are oddly shaped (mine were!). Just seal them well and they’ll be just as delicious as “pretty” ones.

Filling Spread onto the Dough

Filled Pocket

1. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature (to keep the finished kuushuur warm while the rest fry).
2. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to measure 1/4 inch. (Test the heat by dropping a dot of dough into the oil. If it sizzles, you’re ready.)
3. Place half of the kuushuur pockets in the oil and fry until the meat is cooked through and the dough is golden and crispy, 5 minutes on the first side and about 3 minutes on the second side.
4. Remove the pockets to a plate, letting excess oil drip off, and keep warm in the oven while frying the other half.

Kuushuur Beginning to Fry 

Kuushuur after Turning

To serve, stack the filled pockets on a platter with the bowl of homemade ketchup. Serve hot.