All Kinds of Dumplings

Indulge in one of the ultimate nostalgic/comfort foods, and learn how to make dumplings from scratch. Whether you’re sick or just starving, nothing will fill your stomach – and soothe your soul – like these delicious balls of simmered or steamed dough. Nearly every culture has some kind of dumpling, from the juicy ones found in Chinese dim sum to the delicate Italian gnocchi. Anywhere in the United Kingdom—Canadian, and even elsewhere in North America, beef stews, chicken fricassees, hamburger gravy “AND DUMPLINGS” tend to take centre stage. No matter which type you prefer, it’s easy to make dumplings from scratch. Below, you’ll find simple recipes for basic dumplings, egg dumplings, and potato dumplings, all of which can be prepared in less than a half hour.  

To make dumplings from scratch, you’ll need:

·         2 cups flour (for basic “drop” dumplings)

·         4 tsp. baking powder (for basic “drop” dumplings)

·         1/2 tsp. salt (for basic “drop” dumplings)

·         1 cup milk (for basic “drop” dumplings)

·         Broth, soup, or most any other liquid(for basic “drop” dumplings)

·         2 cups flour (for egg dumplings)

·         2 tsp. baking powder(for egg dumplings)

·         1/2 tsp. salt(for egg dumplings)

·         1 egg, beaten (for egg dumplings)

·         1/2 c. water(for egg dumplings)

·         Boiling broth or soup (for egg dumplings)

·         2 potatoes (for potato dumplings)

·         1 egg, beaten (for potato dumplings)

·         A pinch of salt (for potato dumplings)

·         ½ cup bread crumbs (for potato dumplings)

·         ½  tsp. pepper powder (for potato dumplings)

·         ½  cup flour (for potato dumplings)

·         3 cups water (for potato dumplings)

1.    To make basic “drop” dumplings from scratch, combine 2 cups of flour with 4 tsp. of baking powder and ½ tsp. of salt in a bowl. Add 1 cup of milk and stir it with a fork until it forms a soft dough. Using a tablespoon, scoop small balls of dough and drop them into a pot of simmering broth or soup. Cover the pot and allow the dumplings to cook for ten to fifteen minutes. Once you make basic dumplings from scratch, serve them in the soup or broth in which they were cooked. NOTE: Or, if you prefer, make biscuit dumplings, using any of my biscuit recipes. Simply prepare and cut as normal; then place on-top of simmering broth, stock, fricassee,  ragoût , soup, or other stew.

2.    If you prefer dumplings that are light and tender, you can add egg to the dough. To make egg dumplings from scratch, combine 2 cups flour with 2 tsp. of baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Add 1 lightly beaten egg and ½ cup water and mix with a spoon until a rough batter forms. Use a tablespoon to scoop dough, and drop into boiling broth or soup. Cover the pot and allow the dumplings to boil for about twenty minutes. Like basic dumplings, egg dumplings made from scratch can be served in the liquid in which they were boiled.

3.    You can also make potato dumplings from scratch. Fill a saucepan with water, bring it to a boil, and add the unpeeled Russet potatoes. Boil the potatoes for approximately fifteen minutes until they’re tender, and remove them from the pot. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and mash them in a bowl. Add the beaten egg, ½ cup of bread crumbs, ½ tsp. of pepper, and ½ cup of flour and stir the ingredients to make a soft dough, then use your hand to form the dough into 1 ½ inch balls. In the saucepan, bring more water to a boil, and add a pinch of salt. Gently drop the potato dumplings into the simmering water and cook them for about ten minutes until they start to float, then drain the water. Once you make potato dumplings from scratch, you can serve them plain, with a little butter, in the soup of your choice, or even covered in hamburger, or other, gravy.

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.