Buuz

Name: Buuz
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Dough: 300 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; 150 ml warm water (about 50 C); 1/2 tsp fine salt; Filling: 400 g ground lamb (or half lamb, half beef); 1 medium onion (about 150 g), finely diced; 3 garlic cloves, finely minced; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 50 ml cold water

Buuz are the steamed dumplings of Mongolia, eaten year-round but most closely associated with Tsagaan Sar — the Mongolian Lunar New Year celebration. During the festival, households prepare and eat dozens to hundreds of buuz over several days, and the dish functions as much as a social ritual as it does as food. The characteristic feature is the small opening left at the top when pleating. During steaming, the filling releases juices that are trapped inside the sealed dumpling — the correct way to eat buuz is to bite a small hole in the bottom, drink the broth first, then eat the rest. The filling is lamb or a lamb-beef mix, seasoned simply with onion, cumin, and black pepper; the meat provides its own flavour without additional aromatics.

Total time1h

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyHard

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

Dough: 300 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
150 ml warm water (about 50 C)
1/2 tsp fine salt
Filling: 400 g ground lamb (or half lamb, half beef)
1 medium onion (about 150 g), finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
50 ml cold water

How to make it

1Make the dough: mix flour and salt, pour in the warm water, and knead for 5-6 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
3Make the filling: combine the lamb, onion, garlic, oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and cold water in a bowl and mix well with your hands until evenly combined and slightly sticky.
4Divide the dough into 20-24 equal pieces (about 20 g each) and roll each into a thin round about 10 cm across, keeping the centre slightly thicker than the edges.
5Place 1 heaped tablespoon (about 25 g) of filling in the centre of each round.
6Lift the edges up around the filling and pleat them together at the top, leaving a small steam hole in the centre — the classic Mongolian shape.
7Line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper or cabbage leaves and arrange the buuz in a single layer with 2 cm between each.
8Fill a wok or wide pot with water and bring to a rolling boil; set the steamer basket over the boiling water and steam for 20-22 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the filling is no longer pink inside.
9Serve immediately.