Can’t bring yourself to order delivery again? No worries, today we’re making a 608 delivery staple at home. We did some digging and came up with a Paul’s Pel’meni dupe.
Madison native Paul Schwoerer moved to Juneau, Alaska as a teenager where he first learned the craft of making the Russian dumpling at a fisherman’s wharf. Paul recognized that the simplistic heartiness of the dish — beef, potato, toppings — would be a hit in Madison, and thus a 608 staple was born.
Pelmeni vs pierogi
Pierogi | These Polish dumplings have a doughy exterior with a soft pre-cooked filling of meat, fruit, or potato + cheese.
Pelmeni | This Russian dumpling varies from its Polish counterpart primarily in that its doughy shell is much thinner and the filling is rarely sweet. Also, the spiced minced meat filling is raw before preparation.
You’ll have an easy time finding pierogi at most 608 grocery stores, pelmeni is seemingly a bit harder to get your hands on. To keep the dish true to its Russian roots try searching online for pelmeni, or asking for a bag of frozen dumplings in-store at Paul’s. Otherwise, settling for pierogi will still curb your craving.
Ingredients — serves two
- 14 oz. package pierogi or pelmeni
- 2 tbs. butter
- 2-4 tbs. chili sauce
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp. yellow curry powder
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook dumplings according to the package — we went the stove top route. Add a few tablespoons of oil to a saucepan, and cook for a few minutes on each side until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- Spoon dumplings into a serving bowl, gently stir in butter, curry powder, and chili sauce.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream.
- Garnish with cilantro
Pro tip: Do you order Paul’s beef pelmeni but can’t find beef dumplings at the store? Cook a half-pound of ground beef with a tablespoon of curry powder before cooking your dumplings. Set aside to stir into your bowl during step two.
