Pelmeni is a popular main course dish in Russian cuisine that comes from Siberia. It is similar to the Italian dish ravioli because it is a little parcel of meat, but instead of a pasta parcel, it is made of dough. Its name means 'ear' (pel) and 'bread (nan), but no one knows how the native Siberians came up with the dish or when they started to cook it. Some people believe that, originally, the dish was brought from China to Siberia by the Mongols because it includes black pepper which is not found in Russia. Whatever is true, the Siberians found that pelmeni can be kept frozen for a long time without losing any flavour and so it was the perfect way to make their meat last through the long Siberian winter. The local people would freeze the pelmeni outdoors and cook them when necessary. They were the perfect food for hunters because they could be sure that they wouldn't go off. To cook them, you simply boil them in salted water for a few minutes. They are usually served with sour cream and vinegar. In different parts of the country, pelmeni is made of any kind of meat including beef, pork, tamb and even fish, in some places, they are filled with mushrooms, onions, lumips or sauerkraut instead of meat and sometimes they are served in a light soup. In Siberia they are only made with pork and the water is drained before they are served. Over the years, a number of similar dishes have appeared in the cuisine of neighbouring countries. For example, in Ukraine, there is a dish called varenyky which has a thicker dough and is pre-cooked. Also, in Poland, there is a dish called pierogi which is very similar to peimeni but it often has a xweet ng Today, pelmeni is available in the frozen food section of the supermarket and is very popular with students.

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