Pan-Fried Dumplings (Pelmeni)
Fast, simple, and appetizing — a great weeknight dinner for the whole family! Pelmeni fried in vegetable oil come out golden, appetizing, and delicious: the dough develops a crisp crust while the filling stays juicy inside. It's a fun way to shake up your usual routine.
Cooking method
-
Step 1:
How do you pan-fry pelmeni? Gather your ingredients. You can use store-bought dumplings or ones you've made yourself. They should be frozen — that way they won't stick to the pan as they fry. Take them out of the freezer right before you start cooking.
-
Step 2:
Heat a skillet over medium heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Carefully lay out the dumplings. Watch out for splatter — the ice crystals on the frozen dumplings will start to melt and make the oil pop. Arrange them in a single layer so they brown evenly.
-
Step 3:
Fry the dumplings, shaking the pan gently so they don't stick. Once the dough is golden on one side, flip them over — a fork works well for this. Meanwhile, bring some water to a boil.
-
Step 4:
Turn off the heat under the pan — this keeps the hot oil from splattering violently when you add the water. Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan, then turn the heat back on. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also like to toss in a bay leaf.
-
Step 5:
Lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and cook the dumplings until the water has boiled away. This takes 7–10 minutes, depending on their size.
-
Step 6:
Serve the dumplings right away. Sour cream, mayonnaise, or tomato sauce all go well with them. Enjoy!
- Cooking oils are only good up to a certain temperature — the smoke point — beyond which the oil starts to burn and form harmful compounds, including carcinogens. Choose an oil with a high smoke point for frying.
- For the best flavor, use filtered or bottled water with a neutral taste. Tap water can give the dish an off, characteristic flavor.
- Don't underestimate your pan — the wrong skillet can undermine even the best recipe. A good, heavy nonstick or well-seasoned pan makes all the difference.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Vegetable oil - 873 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Water - 0 kcal/100g
- Semi-finished dumplings - 255 kcal/100g
