Lavash
Paper-thin unleavened flatbread, blistered and scored in the tradition of the hearth.
Step-by-step →Dumplings · Western Armenia
BORAKI
Բորակի
Open-topped dumpling cylinders, fried until crisp then briefly simmered in broth and dressed with garlic yogurt.
1 h 30 min
Total time
Serves 4
Yield
4
Steps
Step by step
HOW IT IS MADE
- 01
Roll and cut strips
Make a firm egg dough, rest it thirty minutes, roll thin and cut into strips about 6 cm wide and 10 cm long.
- 02
Roll the cylinders
Lay a line of seasoned mince along one edge, roll into a tube and pinch only the seam — both ends stay open.
- 03
Fry standing up
Cut into short lengths, stand them upright in a buttered pan and fry until the sides are crisp and golden.
- 04
Broth at the end
Pour hot broth halfway up, cover and simmer ten minutes so the filling cooks through. Serve with garlic yogurt.
At a glance
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Energy
- ≈ 400 kcal per serving
- Preparation
- 1 h rolling
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Season
- Autumn and winter
- Occasion
- Family dinners, guests, holiday tables
Cook's notes
GET IT RIGHT
- Pinch only the seam — open ends are the whole design.
- Stand them tightly together so they support each other while frying.
- Add broth halfway up, never covering them, or the crisp is lost.
- Grate the onion into the mince so the filling stays moist.
Variations
Baked boraki
Brush with butter and bake at 200 °C for 25 minutes before adding broth.
Lenten boraki
Filled with fried mushroom and onion instead of meat.
Questions
ASKED IN THE KITCHEN
How is it different from manti?
Manti are baked boats; boraki are fried cylinders finished in broth.
Can I use shop wrappers?
Yes, spring-roll or dumpling sheets work at a pinch.
History & Culture
WHY THIS DISH
Boraki come from the Armenian communities of Western Armenia and are the fried cousin of manti — a dumpling shaped for crispness rather than for soup.
Their open ends are the point: broth enters, fat drains, and each piece finishes both crunchy and juicy. It is a dish that survives entirely through family recipes rather than restaurants.
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