VOA文化艺术2023--How to Eat Dumplings in Georgia

In the Caucasus Mountains nation of Georgia, dumpling-eating is a serious activity.

"I'm not Georgian, but the first rule I learnt when I came to Georgia was how to eat khinkali," says Sergei Shirinsky. He says he is now a dumpling expert.

Georgian khinkali is a national symbol and source of pride. It is usually filled with a mix of raw ground beef and pork, as well as herbs and spices. It is then boiled and served hot.

Khinkali is also the reason behind many mealtime debates.

"You should know that it's eaten with hands only. That's the first rule," Shirinsky says.

Usually, eaters hold a single khinkali by its base. Its base is a collection of dough¹ brought together during the folding process to bring the dumpling together. Then, eaters bite into the soft underside, being sure to eat any juices in the process.

The second rule is no condiments³ –- things added to give food a stronger taste.

"If you add something other than pepper you can go to prison in Georgia," Shirinsky jokes.

The exact beginnings of the dumpling in Georgia are unclear. But khinkali has been prepared in towns and villages across the country for centuries. Different areas of the country still argue over who invented it and who makes it best.

Modern versions⁴ include a variety of different stuffing⁵ choices like Georgian sulguni cheese, mushrooms and potatoes.

Khinkali-making has also become popular among the millions of tourists that visit the country every year.

In the capital Tbilisi, retired⁶ doctor Irina Djandieri offers cooking classes in her living room.

"It's fun, it's fascinating and in the end it is very tasty," she says.

"Every week we have a khinkali day in our family... It's a great excuse to gather with friends and relatives," says Christine Mamasakhlisi. She is a dance teacher from Tbilisi.

"Everything revolves⁷ around khinkali here," she says. "This is not just a dish, it's an integral⁸ part of Georgian culture and identity⁹."

Words in This Story

pride — n. a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc.

raw — adj. not cooked

condiment² — n. something that is added to food to give it more flavor¹⁰

tourist — n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

fascinating — adj. very interesting or appealing

integral — adj. very important and necessary

1 dough   

n.生面团；钱，现款

参考例句：

• She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
• The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

2 condiment   

n.调味品

参考例句：

• It has long been a precious condiment.它一直都是一种珍贵的调味料。
• Fish sauce is a traditional fermented condiment in coastal areas.鱼露是沿海地区的传统发酵调味品。

3 condiments   

n.调味品

参考例句：

• Refill and clean all salt and peppers, sugar bowls, and other condiments. 清洁并续满所有的胡椒瓶、盐瓶、糖缸及其他调料。
• Go easy on condiments, they tend to be salty. 别放太多调味品，这样往往会太咸。

4 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 stuffing   

n.填充物vt.填充(stuff的现在分词)

参考例句：

• We had a chicken and stuffing, and new potatoes from the garden. 我们吃了只百宝鸡，还有园子里种的新鲜马铃薯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She had already mixed the stuffing for the dumplings. 她已经把饺子馅和好了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 revolves   

v.（使）旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 )；细想

参考例句：

• The earth revolves both round the sun and on its own axis. 地球既公转又自转。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Thus a wheel revolves on its axle. 于是，轮子在轴上旋转。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 integral   

adj.必不可少的，构成整体所必需的

参考例句：

• She is our best player,who is integral to our team.她是我们最好的球员，我们队离不开她。
• That's an integral part of the country.那是构成国家所必需的一部分。

9 identity   

n.身份，本体，特征；同一(性)，一致

参考例句：

• He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
• He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。

10 flavor   

n.味，滋味，味道；风味；vt.调味，加味于

参考例句：

• I like the flavor of chocolate.我喜欢巧克力的味道。
• Each flavor was totally unique.每一种味道都是独一无二的。