Travelling dumpling

No, these aren’t momos and this isn’t yet another story on how those Tibetan tidbits have become a favourite snack in India. Nope, these fellas have come from much further away — Poland, some say, but other Europeans also lay claim — and go by the intriguing name of pierogi. They are dumplings, but they are neither dimsum nor gnocchi! You could call them the travelling dumplings — hence their place in ET Travel!

Pierogi can be said to be truly pan-eastern European, for everyone from the Russians to the Poles, Lithuanians to Ukranians to even the Czechs and Swedish claim it. Then there’s the delicious thought that they might be dimsum after all, carried to Europe by the marauding hordes of Mongols and Tatars after travelling through the wilderness of Central Asia!

Some aver that pierogi arrived from the east, but via two sources — one by the invaders I just mentioned, and the other by Marco Polo. Whereas the invaders’ version was thinner, the Italians turned it into the thicker ravioli, and then it travelled onto the eastern hinterland. Indeed, the resemblance cannot he denied, even if the fillings are more locally sourced...

It’s a particular favourite in Poland though, so don’t be surprised if you come across it in a Warsaw cafe. “Hey, I know this,” would be your first joyful thought and don’t be surprised if your tastebuds second that sentiment. In fact, Poles literally swear by it: the exclamation “Swiety Jacek z pierogami!” (St Hyacinth and his Pierogi!) is the equivalent of our “Hey Ram” but no one has much of an idea what the 13th century saint has to do with dumplings....
These crescent-shaped dumplings are made of unleavened maida and can be stuffed with both vegetarian and non vegetarian fillings, though the most popular is the cheese n’ mashed potatoes avatar.

The rule of thumb, apparently is that the veg versions (spinach and cabbage fillings are also there) are more rural while the meat-filled ones are city inventions. Also, while in some versions the dough tastes more like bread and in others more like wontons, but usually the square or circle of dough is thicker. Cabbage, spinach, sauerkraut and meat are also options, as are sweet versions with fruit fillings.

The filling is made by first boiling potatoes and then mashing them with quantities of cheese according to taste and seasoning it with salt and pepper. A simple dough of flour enriched with egg is rolled out and then cut into roundels. The filling is put in the middle and pinched to make a rippled border. The dumplings are then boiled, fried, or even baked, and then served hot with butter or oil, or even as an accompaniment to a hearty soup. The Poles actually boil pierogi first and then fry them, topping them off with sour cream. Some also put bacon bits as garnish. And you know that the pierogi are done when they rise to the top in boiling water.

The potato and cheese stuffed version is called Ruskie pierogi, maybe because it comes from the area abutting that nation while the meat-filled, boiled dumplings apparently come from Siberia. Makes sense: ever heard of veggies in Siberia?

Actually, pierogi symbolise a journey through eastern Europe, becoming pirozhki in Russia, pyrizhky in Ukraine and so on. And thanks to migrants to north America, they are pretty common in supermarkets in places with large populations from eastern Europe. That’s how I got to hear of it.

Such is the pierogi’s integration into the culinary lore of America, the town of Whiting, Indiana (population 5000!) even has an annual Pierogi Festival with the catchline “We’re stuffed with fun”.... Is there anything that the Americans won’t turn into a festival?

And guess what? Now the people “back home” in Poland have also woken up to the festival idea. Last weekend, the 4th Pierogi Festival was held in Krakow, with a panel of judges awarding a prize to the best pierogi recipe.....

Sadly, hotels and restaurants in India are yet to try this different avatar — most places are yet to perfect their dimsum and ravioli anyway. But for us Indians pierogi should be a good name to remember when going to eastern Europe, where the idea of borscht and various meaty soups and casseroles are not very edifying.

Pierogi with their potato and cheese stuffing are very approachable, more so since Europe is waking up to the idea of using olive oil instead of butter or lard as a cooking medium. All the better for us!