Making khinkali is a skill that takes practice. The dough must be thin enough to be delicate but strong enough not to burst when it is full of soup. The filling is traditionally minced beef and pork mixed with onions, coriander, and black pepper, then a little water is added so that when the dumpling cooks, the filling releases a rich broth inside. The signature twist at the top is called the 'kudi' and usually has around 20 folds — expert khinkali-makers are judged partly on how neatly they fold.
The correct way to eat a khinkali is a whole technique in itself. You hold the dumpling upside-down by its kudi, turn it right-side-up, take a tiny bite from the side, and carefully sip all the hot broth out before eating the rest of the dough and filling. The kudi itself is not eaten — you leave it on the plate, and Georgians often count how many kudis are left to see who ate the most dumplings.
Khinkali are thought to have originated in the mountain regions of Georgia, where they were easy to make with simple ingredients during long winters. Today they are eaten all over the country and are a popular street food in Tbilisi. Different regions have their own variations: some are filled with mushrooms, others with potato and cheese, and some versions use nettles as a filling.
Sitting around a table sharing a big plate of steaming khinkali is a quintessentially Georgian experience. They are always eaten with your hands — never with a fork and knife — and the table is usually noisy with laughter, conversation, and the occasional splatter of broth when someone bites in too hastily.