Is there a more comforting food than dumplings? I grew up on chicken and dumplings, usually made from a left over roasted chicken and my moms amazing AP flour and water dumplings (simple combine flour and water until thick, then form into small balls). Sauté mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery) in olive oil, well-seasoned with red pepper flakes until tender. Debone a roasted chicken (add the bones, not the meat) and chicken stock to a large pot to cover, and simmer for an hour (or more). Remove the bones and add the meat, taste and re-season as necessary. Add the small dumplings and simmer until done. That’s it! It’s about as simple as it gets and is so delicious and comforting, but there are plenty of other options a well.
One of my favorite recipes is to use the Greenhouse’s (Biloxi) biscuit mix with nothing more than the addition of milk or cream, and perhaps a little butter. Kneed well, form into small balls and drop into chicken stork, or chicken stew and simmer until firm and done.
Another simple recipe is to use Bisquick mix, again, with nothing more than milk. Mix well, form into small balls and simmer in stock until done. If you are in a hurry, the Lee International Market on Division Street in Biloxi sells frozen dumplings stuffed with pork and veggies. They are pretty good, but I prefer the Greenhouse method.
Dumplings can also be stuffed, with the most well known example being Chinese potstickers that are pan fried and then steamed. In Eastern Europe they make pierogi and khinkali, which are meat filled. Common fillings are minced pork, beef, chicken and lamb as well as cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, onions, various cheeses, and even potatoes.
You know folks in the South love to deep fry almost anything, and dumplings are a good example. You can make any of the dumplings above and drop them into a deep fryer and cook until golden brown. Yum!
We are pretty sure that dumplings originated in China (as did so much good food), during the Eastern Han dynasty. Known as jiaozi, dumplings made their way to Europe via the Silk Road and other trade routes, and from China to Koria and Japan and eventually around the world.
Don’t forget good dumpling deserves a good dipping sauce, most often made with soy sauce, green onions, lots of garlic, vinegar and chili oil.