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Old 01-02-2010, 16:49
diablo
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I seem to remember someone making dumplings on a TV show recently. They were saying not to make a firm dough - and had made a sloppy dough which they poured into the stew.

Did anyone else see it? I had a vague idea it was James Martin but can't find any of his recipes where he doesn't do a firm dough mix.

I'd like to give it a try, my normal dumplings are okay but could be lighter. If I make the dough looser than normal it seems to fall apart when cooking.
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Old 01-02-2010, 18:43
alanwarwic
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Sorry, but I hope you don't mind if I jump alongside.

Can someone explain how to make dumplings?
I make loads of stews and have never ever made dumpings.
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Old 01-02-2010, 19:27
ejak
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Dumplings are very easy. To make 8 golf ball size dumplings just sift 4oz of self raising flour with 2oz suet and bind with ice cold water.
Do not knead them, barely touch them, just a light rolling into shape and they will be light and fluffy.

You can add herbs, or mustard but my fave is horseradish dumplings in beef stew.

Another thing that i do with my dumpling mix is lightly roll it out and put onto mince beef and make a yummy teviot pie.
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Old 01-02-2010, 20:32
birdsong
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I seem to remember someone making dumplings on a TV show recently. They were saying not to make a firm dough - and had made a sloppy dough which they poured into the stew.

Did anyone else see it? I had a vague idea it was James Martin but can't find any of his recipes where he doesn't do a firm dough mix.

I'd like to give it a try, my normal dumplings are okay but could be lighter. If I make the dough looser than normal it seems to fall apart when cooking.
I just make mine as wet as possible but still able to get them into a rough ball shape. They stick to the fingers!

Had them yesterday. Delicious!
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Old 01-02-2010, 23:29
malaikah
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I love love love suet dumplings, but my waistline doesn't I tend to eat them as the stodge part of a stew only i.e. no spuds I love em so much!
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Old 02-02-2010, 00:03
Gogfumble
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I prefer bread dumplings to suet and they are so easy to make:

Breadcrumbs
Seasoning of your choice - salt, pepper, herbs
Add enough milk to allow you to form balls (use a bit of flour on your hands to help shape them without it sticking to your hands too much)
Stick them in the top of your stew/casserole about 30 minutes before it's done (45 minutes if you are using a slow cooker)
If they aren't quite covered by the stew, just turn them over half way through.
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Old 02-02-2010, 12:31
Lojen
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The classic suet dumpling is made with 1/3rd Beef Suet to 2/3rds self raising flour (with a pinch of salt and pepper)

Of course you can add many things to this, caramelised onions, herbs, mustard etc.

I was always taught to make sure everything was very cold, water, utensils, even the bowl etc. Try not to handle the mixture too much. As others have said, I aim to make the mixture reasonably wet, but not so wet that you can't form balls and end up with it stuck all over your fingers

Oh and I find it best to make the dumplings just at the time you intend to put them in your stew. This way they seem to come out nice and fluffy. I found if I made them beforehand and left them in the fridge a while they were too heavy later on.
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Old 02-02-2010, 13:19
birdsong
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I use twice as much self raising flour as vegetable suet. Recently for a few weeks I was without batteries for my kitchen scales, I just used an ordinary cup for measuring. I think dumplings are quite forgiving, the main thing is to ensure enough water is used.
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Old 02-02-2010, 13:36
Miriams Sister
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And flour your hands to roll your balls.
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Old 02-02-2010, 15:16
diablo
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I did some dumplings today while I was cooking mum's lunch. Made as normal with SR flour, suet, salt, pepper and parsley but made a bit sloppier than usual. Then rolled into three balls and well floured.

I put two into the veg pan and the remaining one in with the mince and onions - which had plenty of liquid. Both covered and simmered for near 20 minutes.

The two in with the veg got a lot bigger and fluffier - just starting to break apart, but the one in with the mince didn't expand anywhere near as much. I suppose the fat from the mince stopped it absorbing water.

I guess I've learned something there.
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Old 02-02-2010, 15:45
Spiderpig
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Some time ago when there was the potatoe shortage we would have dumplings instead (with sage) and we did not miss the spud at all. It is strange that when you have to try something different you can find things that are almost better.
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Old 02-02-2010, 17:04
Clank007
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Ummmm...daft bloke question...but what if like mine your local supermarket doesnt have any suet?
"havent sold it for years" was what the lady on the counter told me.
Can you make them from a different ingredient?
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Old 02-02-2010, 17:09
Gogfumble
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Ummmm...daft bloke question...but what if like mine your local supermarket doesnt have any suet?
"havent sold it for years" was what the lady on the counter told me.
Can you make them from a different ingredient?
Counter?

You should be able to find vegetable suet in the home baking isle. It is difficult to get hold of beef suet these days, a proper butcher might do it or be able to get it for you, but no chance in a supermarket.

Or, as I detailed above, make them from bread crumbs instead.
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Old 02-02-2010, 17:12
diablo
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Ummmm...daft bloke question...but what if like mine your local supermarket doesnt have any suet?
"havent sold it for years" was what the lady on the counter told me.
Can you make them from a different ingredient?
They would be unlikely to have fresh suet I suppose. I use the packet stuff and I bet they have that - Atora is leading brand. Proper butchers for the fresh stuff.

If you put a block of butter in the freezer for an hour then grate it into the flour it will have a similar texture.
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Old 02-02-2010, 19:28
whoever,hey
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Does using breadcrumbs give the same texture as the classic dumpling?
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Old 02-02-2010, 19:46
Gogfumble
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Does using breadcrumbs give the same texture as the classic dumpling?
They do taste and have quite a different texture to suet dumplings, but in my opinion they are nicer. I didn't used to like suet, but coming round to it now. I still prefer bread dumplings though. They are quite nice and light and fluffy.
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Old 03-02-2010, 01:18
malaikah
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And always put them in an open dish in the oven to cook, given a crisp crunchy top half with a fluffy bottom!
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Old 03-02-2010, 07:13
Erlang
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I love the potato dumpling you get in places like Prague or Slovakia, heavy but yummy.
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Old 03-02-2010, 10:36
alanwarwic
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With suet just being oil and wheat flour(veg suet) cannot one just use flour, water and oil in dumplings?
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Old 03-02-2010, 16:20
mirabelle
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can you cook dumplings without putting them in a stew? Oh is making veg stew tonight but the dumplings need 30mins to cook and the stew only 20 mins so wondered if we could cook them seperately
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Old 03-02-2010, 16:33
lemmingtonsteel
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in relation to the original query james martin made the wet dumplings on saturday kitchen last saturday, it may help you search out the recipe
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Old 03-02-2010, 16:56
diablo
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in relation to the original query james martin made the wet dumplings on saturday kitchen last saturday, it may help you search out the recipe
Thanks for that! I was starting to think I saw it in a dream - not that I usually dream about James Martin or cookery programmes.

I haven't watched last Saturday's yet! Still unviewed on PVR.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qn27p
Was it the one before that?

I looked on the Saturday Kitchen website and could only find this weeks recipes - and it hasn't appeared on the BBC recipe search site yet - but I will keep my eye out for it.

I tried dropping some sloppy dumpling mix into boiling water as an experiment and it just broke up and floated on top.
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Old 03-05-2010, 15:40
littlefro
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There's me a previous fan of Aunt Bessie's frozen ready made Dumplings, lovely on taste but they do tend to swell too much in my stew. I'm now sold on Tesco's packet Dumpling mix. Good on that expected suet taste, and can gauge a better ball size just right to serve.
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Old 03-05-2010, 18:58
paulyoung666
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i make mine in a jug , add the dry ingredients to the jug then add the water bit by bit to get a sticky ish dough , no need to flour , no need to roll , simply scoop a dollop out and add to the stew , i could eat some now but i am having a curry tonight
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Old 04-05-2010, 07:19
Lemonhunny
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can you cook dumplings without putting them in a stew? Oh is making veg stew tonight but the dumplings need 30mins to cook and the stew only 20 mins so wondered if we could cook them seperately
In a rush one night, I used a packet of dumpling mix, formed it into the balls, and put them round the edge of a plate.
Microwaved for about 2 mins.

I figured they hadn't cost much for mix (32p per packet) if I had to throw them away.

They were blimmin lovely!
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