Gifting and all of it’s nuance.
My Grandfather used to gift me wool plaid shirts for Christmas coupled with a wad of cash in a bank envelope. The gift receipt was tucked under the tissue paper usually haphazardly strewn together by an overworked JC Penny employee. I am willing to wager that we’ve all been on the receiving end of some gifts that just don’t make sense for us. Thoughtless gifts foster disconnection and a vibe of “read the room bro.” I’ve heard often, “I’d rather receive no gift at all than to be given something that has no meaning to me.” What do we do when life isn’t just one big ole registry?
One of the biggest hurdles for me was listening to what people want. I used to make wild assumptions based on behavior and taste that I knew what people wanted. Once you’ve experienced painful disappointment a few times it humbles you to start opening your ears. All of the signs are there, people will often blatantly expose themselves if you allow. Most opportunities to reward or gift someone are truly based on how well we are paying attention.
In a restaurant, I find complementary offerings to be dicey. The glass of champagne at the start of the meal, the extra dish added to an order, the bonus dessert or splash of amaro have to be handled with delicacy. You never know what feels like the right offering for someone until you get to know them. Even then it’s still presumptive to gift something “on the house.” What's the intention, what is the purpose? Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. One of the best gifts to offer is your time, undivided and fully present.
What bums me out are those people that expect things when they reveal their affiliation in hopes that they will be rewarded in some way. When I was managing restaurants I found so many employees always wanting to give away the house instead of being charming or precise. The gifting feels empty, often hollow, like most of the promises of capitalism. As the author Lauren Berlant correctly named her book, Cruel Optimism, the false promise that materials will make us happier and yet they rarely do.
I like the idea of a little something for nothing. No exorbitant cost, just from a place of purity. A list of recommendations, a movie someone would like, a song that could change someone’s day, a book to take pleasure in. My grandfather never really knew me, I mean if he did he would know that I never wore a single shirt he bought me for Christmas. Truthfully, even the cash felt like hush money so no one in the family would ask for shit. I’m feeling generous this week though, I want to give you this recipe. I’m proud of it, I feel compelled to share it. Here’s something from me for nothing. I don’t expect anything or want anything in return. I’m just grateful you’ve been with me this long and I cannot thank you enough.
Lamb Manti
I can handle spicy, but I love the power of chili in it’s mild form. Urfa and Aleppo chili are almost sweet, slightly bitter, and warming. For this recipe they’re applied twice, a theme within my recipes this year. Waves, echoes, frequencies getting dialed in synergy. The bulk of this recipe is making the individual manti. They take time, you should crimp them appropriately so they don’t spew all of the delicious lamb fat everywhere. I believe the open top concept I’ve executed looks like little chimney’s, but upon review, they could be little boats. I find making dumplings to be creatively satisfying especially when they’re crispy and tender all in the same bite.
Makes 32 manti
Ingredients for Manti:
454g (1lb) lamb, ground
1 medium yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 large egg
25g breadcrumbs
1tsp Aleppo chili
1tsp Urfa chili
1T kosher salt
semolina or ap flour for dusting
32 square wonton wrappers (typically 3/4 of a package)
2T extra virgin olive oil
mix of picked herbs for garnish (mint, cilantro, dill)
Garlic Yogurt:
200g Greek yogurt
1 lemon, zested
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, grated
big pinch of kosher salt
Chili Butter:
113g unsalted butter
1T Aleppo chili
1T Urfa chili
Manti Method:
In a large bowl combine ground lamb, grated onion, grated garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, both chili’s and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands until homogenous and emulsified.
Set up a half sheet tray lightly dusted with semolina or flour. Add 100ml of water to a small bowl. Strategically set up the manti making station so that a small spoon about a tablespoon in size is for scooping, the water is close by to the wonton wrappers and the sheet tray is accessible for final placement.
Start by scooping 1T of lamb filling to the center of the wonton wrapper. Dab water on the edge of two sides running parallel to each other. Start (on the wet side) pinching upwards to create a small opening where the lamb filling is visible, but don’t seal it. Essentially, comforting the dough around the lamb filling pinching and sealing it on the sides but leaving an open chimney of exposed lamb. Repeat this step until you have 32 manti.
*These manti freeze exceptionally well for a week. They can be left wrapped for 24hours refrigerated.
To finish the manti, preheat a 12” skillet fitted with a lid over medium high heat. Add 1T of extra virgin olive oil along with 16 of the manti. Allow to fry slightly in the oil for 2 minutes. Add small amounts of water, be careful, followed by the lid. This process of frying/steaming will cook the manti relatively quickly. Add water 2T at a time until fully evaporated or absorbed be the manti. *This step could be repeated up to 6-7 times. Fresh manti will take 6-8 minutes. Frozen manti will take 10-12 minutes to make.
Towards the end of cooking, allow most of the moisture to escape. Things will look less bubbly in the pan and browning will start to appear around the edges of the manti. Allow to finish with frying for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove from the pan and start the next batch.
Method for yogurt:
In a small bowl combine yogurt, lemon zest, juice, grated garlic and salt. Stir and set aside.
Method for chili butter:
In a small skillet or sauce pan, add butter and both chili’s and gently warm over a low flame until melted and the chili has bloomed in the fat. Set aside, hold warm over the lowest heat possible.
Serving:
There are many ways this can be served. The yogurt spread at the base of the plate or drizzled or dabbed on top. The manti could be tossed in the chili butter or spooned over the top. Get creative! The combination of herbs to finish makes this humble dish feel adult, so just go for it. The herbs do add something, in my opinion, which makes them necessary. However, simply served as manti with yogurt and chili butter thats a winning combo regardless.
