Dushbara

Joshpara is a delightful type of dumpling enjoyed across Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Its name is derived from the words "Josh" meaning "to boil" and "para" meaning "bit." Before the 10th century, it was commonly referred to as "Joshpara" but today it is often known by its Persian name, "gosh e-barreh" which translates to "lamb's ear." Depending on the region, it might be called düşbərə, tushpara, chuchpara, tushbera, chuchvara, or chöchürä.

The term "Joshpara" likely has Turkic roots, with "düşbərə" meaning "filled up" "spill out" or "food." Iranian merchants introduced this dish to the Finno-Ugric peoples in Western Siberia during the Middle Ages, where it came to be known as "pelnan" or "ear bread." In Russia, it is recognized as "pelmeni" and sometimes chicken broth is used in place of the traditional yogurt broth.

Joshpara boasts many regional variations. In Turkic and Persian cuisines, düşbərə is a classic Azerbaijani dish featuring dough stuffed with ground meat and spices. It is similar to Russian pelmeni and Chinese wontons but typically excludes pork due to Islamic dietary guidelines. Common ingredients include flour, meat, onions, herbs, salt, black pepper, and tomatoes.

In Arab cuisines, the dish is known as "shishbarak" or "shushbarak" in countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Here, thin parcels of wheat dough are filled with ground beef and spices, then cooked in yogurt and served hot. This version of the dish has been enjoyed for centuries and is mentioned in a 15th-century Arabic cookbook from Damascus.