The philosophy of the Daghestani khinkal
QUOTES: “The Daghestani cuisine is medieval food: just cooked meat, just broth and dough,” says Murad. “There have never been any kings or wealthy people in these lands that is why the food is simple. Historically, chefs invented dishes to impress their lords, whereas around here everybody have been more or less equal. We had neither classes, nor castes. [...] The secret of the Daghestani cuisine is in environmentally clean food. Sheep graze on pristine meadows, and feed only on grass instead of commercial mixed feeds,” assures Murad. “Most importantly, the flavor of meat and broth shall be free of chemicals. Otherwise, if the animal is fed with some odd stuff it surfaces in the flesh. In the mountains the mutton preserves the fragrance of flowers and grass the sheep used to eat.”
“Any man, any mountaineer can make khinkal,” adds Rasul Parkuyev. “Traditionally, our men spent much time on the road, in military expeditions, and they needed to cook something. Despite its simplicity, the khinkal may be quite diverse. There are as many recipes as there are ethnic groups. [...]
Surely, khinkal is made in a variety of ways but the point is that the dough, the meat, the broth and the sauce are served separately. The Georgian khinkali, in principle, consists of the same ingredients but it is served differently. [...]
Usually, khinkal is eaten with fingers. Lumps of cooked dough are dipped into the sauce, eaten with meat and washed down with broth. Some prefer forks and knives but it is believed the genuine taste of the dish is lost because of that.[...]
