Tonight, We’re Having Mantı
Ready-made meat mantı, garlic yogurt and pepper oil: a supper for two, with a short shopping list and a finish worth getting right.
- Serves
- 2 people
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
By Pazar KitchenOctober 23, 20262 min read
A bowl of mantı needs very little at the table: a fork, a generous spoonful of yogurt and the pepper oil still warm. The dumplings can come from a packet. What matters here is having the toppings ready when they come out of the water.
This version uses one 340 g pack of Merve meat mantı for two modest main-course portions. Mix the yogurt while the water heats, leave the oil until the end, and serve in shallow bowls so the toppings reach more than the top few dumplings.
Before you start
- Can I cook the mantı for a fixed number of minutes?
Use the directions on the Merve package. Filled dumplings vary in dough thickness and storage state; a timing from another brand may not apply.
- Can I leave out the garlic?
Yes. Plain yogurt, pepper oil and a little dried mint still give the dish its familiar finish.
Keep the sauce simple
The yogurt should coat the dumplings without turning the bowl into soup. Stir it well before reaching for water; plain yogurt often needs no thinning at all. Garlic is optional, so leave it out of one bowl if the table is divided.
Pepper flakes can go from fragrant to bitter quickly. A small pan and low heat give you time to notice the change. For a gentler finish, start with half a teaspoon rather than trying to rescue oil that is too hot.
One pack, two bowls
The shopping selection uses Merve’s 340 g pack and a 2 lb tub of yogurt. You will use only 250 g of the yogurt and small amounts of the oil and spices. Garlic is a fresh extra to buy separately. For four people, double the recipe and buy two packs of mantı; the other selected packages cover those amounts.
What else to have ready
Optional garlic; water and salt from your kitchen.
Each product is sold in its listed retail pack. The recipe uses the amounts above; check your cupboard before adding everything.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 340 g ready-made meat mantı (one pack)
- 250 g plain yogurt
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated; optional
- 30 ml olive oil (2 tablespoons)
- ½–1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried mint; optional
- Water and salt as directed on the mantı package
Method
- 1
Start with the packet
Check the pack for water quantity, whether to cook from frozen, and cooking time. Bring the water to a boil in a roomy saucepan. The 20-minute cooking allowance here is an estimate; the product directions take priority.
- 2
Mix the yogurt
Stir the yogurt smooth with the grated garlic, if using. Taste before adding salt. Keep it ready while the mantı cooks.
- 3
Cook and drain
Add the mantı and stir gently once to separate the pieces. Cook according to the packet until both dough and filling are fully cooked. Floating alone is not a reliable endpoint. Drain well and divide between two bowls.
- 4
Finish at the stove
Warm the olive oil over low heat in a small pan. Stir in the pepper flakes for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant, and remove from the heat before they darken. Spoon yogurt over the mantı, add the oil and finish with dried mint if you like. Serve straight away.
