Dhalicious Dumplings (with a Cabbage & Carrot filling)

OOO la laa laa here we go again 🙂   I am so excited about this dish.  It’s got me singing and dancing in the kitchen.  My inspiration for this dish was drawn by a dish called Dhalpita which was cooked by a facebook friend Lex Thirboan.  Dhalpita is dhal and lastly thin strips of roti dough is added to it and simmered until cooked.  It was during that post I had some great dhal sparks flying.  The names I came up with were most fascinating, like Dhalicious RotiOli, literally translating to Dhal and Ravioli made with roti dough…this I will still make 😉 I decided to make Chinese Dumplings as this was closer to the roti dough.  The filling is used in Chinese cuisine as well, to which I’ve added a bit of spice 🙂  Adding to my signature dishes is yet another  successful cross-cultural creation by moi 🙂  this is my recipe for my: Dhalicious Dumplings (with a Cabbage & Carrot filling)

Total Preparation & Cooking time: 1 hour 30 mins    Serves:  4   Makes 20 – 25 dumplings

INGREDIENTS

Dhal

• 1 ½ cups (375ml) pea dhal
• Water to boil the dhal
• 1 tsp (5ml) turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp (45ml) oil
• 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable ghee  or oil (you may add more)
• ¼ tsp black mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch fenugreek seeds
• ½ tsp yellow asafoetida
• ¼ cup (60ml) finely sliced onion
• 2 springs tender curry leaves
• 1 tsp (5ml) each garlic & ginger paste
• 1-2 dry red chillies broken into 2 pieces
• 1-3 green chillies
• ¼ cup (60ml) finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 ½  tsp (7.5ml) coriander/cumin powder (dhania/jeera)
• 1/2 ‘- 1 tsp (2.5ml – 5ml) Chilli powder
• 1 tsp (5ml) salt
• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh coriander leaves (garnish)
• 30ml finely chopped spring onions (garnish)
• Dumpling Wrappers
• 2 cups (500ml) cake wheat flour
• ¾ cup boiling water
• ¼ tsp salt
• Some water to seal the dumplings

Cabbage & Carrot Dumpling filling

• 1 – 2 tbsp (15-30ml) oil
• ¼ tsp black mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp yellow asafoetida
• 1-2 dry red chillies roughly crushed
• 1 tsp (5ml) garlic & ginger paste
• 5 cups finely sliced cabbage
• 1 medium carrot grated
• 1 ½  tsp (7.5ml) coriander/cumin powder (dhania/jeera)
• 1 tsp (5ml) mild chilli powder
• ½ tsp salt (adjust accordingly)
• A dash of soy sauce
• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh coriander leaves (garnish)
• Salad & garnish
• 1 cup finely chopped cucumbers
• 10 mini Italian tomatoes halved
• feta cheese roughly broken into pieces
• ¼ cup (80ml) olive oil
• Splash of white wine vinegar
• Some coriander leaves

Let’s Cook 🙂

Thoroughly clean and wash the lentils (pea dhal) and boil with turmeric powder and water on medium to high heat until a smooth thick consistency is formed, adding more water as you boil as the water does evaporate.  Once the dhal has reached a smooth velvety consistency.  (You may also pressure cook the pea dhal until soft).

Heat the vegetable ghee or oil a small saucepan.  Toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and yellow asafoetida.  Once the seeds pop – add the onion and curry leaves – cook until the onions are golden brown.

Toss in the garlic & ginger and chillies, sauté for a few seconds.

Throw in the tomato, dhania/jeera powder and salt – cook just until the tomatoes just start to melt (2-3 minute) add this to the cooked dhal.  Bring the dhal to a boil and simmer for a few minutes on low heat.

While the dhal is boiling – Let’s make the dumplings –  add the flour, salt and water to a large mixing bowl.  Use a fork to mix and bring the dough together as this will be very hot to handle with your hands initially.  The mixture may seem a bit dry but continue mixing.  Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth.  Cover with cling wrap for 30 minutes up to an hour.  Divide the dough into small pieces and roll into balls, keeping them covered until rolling each one out to about 7.5cm – 8cm in diametre.  Try not to roll all out at once as this may dry them out. Flour the surface before rolling out.

Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre.

Wet the edge with a little water and crimp together forming small pleats sealing  the dumplings. Continue and repeat the same process for the remaining of the wrappers and filling. Be sure to flour the plate

Heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a big heavy based frying pan (be sure that the pan has a lid) over medium high heat.  Place 7-10 dumplings in the pan and brown for 2-3 minutes.

Place the lid over the pot and pour in the water, cover with the lid and steam for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.

Once done, gently remove with a spatula and keep aside.

While the dough is resting – let’s cook the cabbage and carrot –  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot.

Toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, yellow asafoetida, chillies, garlic & ginger and, sauté for a few seconds.

Toss in the cabbage, carrots, dhania/ jeera powder, chilli powder and salt.  Cook until the cabbage is soft cooked through 20-25 minutes.  At the last moment add a splash of soy sauce – cook for a minute – remove from the stove and allow to cool.

Mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl.

To plate, spoon a generous scoop of dhal in a plate, place 4-5 dumplings in the centre – spoon over the salad. Garnish with additional springs onions.

Some pics of the process 

1. Ingredients for braising the dhal

2

2.  Dumpling dough mixed, kneaded, cling wrapped and resting

3.  Dumpling dough rolled in small balls.  Be sure to keep them covered.

4.  Roll flat about 7.5 to 8cm in diameter and place filling in the centre

5.  Folded dumplings

6.  Be sure to powder the plate to avoid the dumplings from sticking

7.  add dumplings to a big frying pan

8.  Browned dumplings now add water – cover and steam

9.  Cooked dumplings

10.  Cabbage and carrot dumpling filling