Dumplings around the world mean different things, from steamed dumplings from a variety of Asian cuisines, to Swedish potato dumplings.
The dumplings were talking about here are traditional British and Irish ones, made from balls of dough that are then cooked mainly in stews and casseroles.
Dumplings added to a stew or casserole recipe make the ultimate comfort food. Warming and tasty, they can be prepared in moments. Here Good Housekeepings Cookery Editor, Emma Franklin, shares her secrets…
Don’t Overwork the Dumpling Dough Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don’t see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that’s okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.
Some people actually boil the dumplings in water, while others steam the dumplings. My preference is steaming the dumplings but by all means, boil it if you like. One of the differences will be the outer texture of the dumplings; the outside will be sticky from the boiling liquid. Steaming will give you a nice uniform texture with little burst spots that you will see from the swelling of the dumplings as they were cooking.
Here’s the recipe. And do let me know how it turns out for you. Steamed Dumplings
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To avoid the dumplings sticking to the steamer, cut a piece of wax/grease proof paper or parchment paper to the width of the pot, brush it with a little oil and then place the dumplings on the greased paper before transferring to the pot with the steamer. Cut a little whole in the middle of the paper so that the handle of the steamer can slide through easily.
Fill a pot with 2 inches of water and then insert a steamer rack. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, divide dough into 4 – 5 equal pieces and form into balls or roll lengthways into oblong – about 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide.
What are the basic ingredients of a dumpling?
The basic ingredients of a dumpling is self-raising flour, cold butter and seasoning. From there you can add a variety of different seasonings. And while you might be tempted to experiment with different flours, we really recommend with white self-raising flour.
The alchemy of making dumplings is a precise matter and as other flours absorb liquids at very different rates to white wheat flour you could end up with dense, heavy dumplings, or dumplings that have soaked up all your stew and collapsed into a soggy bread puddle in your baking dish!
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FAQ
Why did my dumplings come out dense?
Why do my dumplings never rise?
What causes dumplings to be doughy?