Pelmeni (—plural, ; pelmen, —singular, ) are dumplings of Russian cuisine that consist of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough. It is debated whether they originated in Ural or Siberia. Pelmeni have been described as "the heart of Russian cuisine". Ingredients The dough is made from flour and water, sometimes adding a small portion of eggs. The filling can be minced meat (pork, lamb, beef, fish or any other kind of meat, venison being particularly traditional for colder regions) or mushrooms, or a combination of the two. The mixing together of different kinds of meat is also popular. The traditional Udmurt recipe requires a mixture of 45% beef, 35% mutton, and 20% pork. Various spices, such as black pepper and diced onions as well as garlic, are mixed into the filling. They are commonly topped with sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, red onions or vinegar, all of which are traditional to the region and can be produced in the Siberian climate. Adding small amounts of cabbage, tomato and horseradish into the mince is also common for certain regional recipes. Temperature and humidity have considerable impact on dough consistency and stability. Origin and history The first mention of a dish similar to dumplings comes from ancient Greece, but the Ural region seems to be the original homeland of pelmeni. The word pelmeni is derived from pel'n'an''' (пельнянь)—literally "ear bread" in the Finnic Komi and Udmurt languages. It is unclear when pelmeni entered the cuisines of the indigenous Siberian people and when they first appeared in Russian cuisine. One theory suggests pelmeni, or stuffed boiled dumplings in general, originated in Siberia. Pelmeni became especially popular among Russian hunters. Pelmeni are a particularly good means of quickly preserving meat during the long Siberian winter, thereby eliminating the need to feed livestock during the long winter months. Thus, despite their Uralic origin, pelmeni were much influenced by the Siberian way of cooking. Differences Pelmeni belong to the family of dumplings, and are related to Ukrainian varenyky and Polish uszka. In the United States and Canada, the term pierogi or perogies is often used to describe all kinds of Eastern European dumplings, regardless of the shape, size, or filling. Pelmeni are also similar to Mongolian bansh, Chinese jiaozi (Cantonese gaau) or Chinese húntún (Cantonese wonton). They are cousins to the Armenian, Turkish and Kazakh manti, the Georgian khinkali, the Nepalese and Tibetan momo, the Uyghur