When you think of dumplings, the Chinese or Japanese varieties probably spring to mind. You know, thin pieces of dough folded over a variety of meat and veggie wrappings that's then steamed, boiled or fried (and great with soya sauce). But did you know that Canada also has its own variety of soft, fluffy and dough dumplings that come from Newfoundland, of all places?
What are Newfoundland dumplings?
Newfoundland dumplings aren't exactly like the typical variety you find at Asian restaurants or frozen by the bag in the freezer section of your grocery store. Sometimes called "Dough Boys," these dumplings are primarily medium-sized wads of dough that are cooked inside simmered stews and absorb a whole wallop of flavour.
Depending on how they are prepared, they can come out as being soft and fluffy or thick and chewy.
How do you make Newfoundland dumplings?
Newfoundland dumplings involve only a handful of basic ingredients and are relatively easy to prepare if you've ever done any sort of light baking.
- 1 cup of flour
- 1-2 teaspoons of baking powder
- a heavy pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/2 cup of water or milk
The flour, water and salt are your basic ingredients for dough, while baking powder helps the for texture and the butter mostly there for flavour. You can always add more salt depending on your tastes and more water if you want them fluffier and softer.
When you have your ingredients, simply mix together the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add he wet ingredients and the butter. Stir them gently - no need to knead unless you want them to be tough and chewy.
The dough should be sticky, but not wet. Then, take small handfuls, scoop several spoonfuls of them (probably 6-8 "balls" in total) and drop them into whatever stew you are preparing. Keep it covered and let them simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes before removing, letting them sit and then serving again.
What sort of soup or stew pairs well with these dumplings?
Traditionally, these dumplings were paired with the local variety of pea soup. This usually involved flavouring the soup with leftover ham or beef that’s been salted and brined (and soaked the day before to remove some salt). Garlic, thyme and bay leaf are often added these days, making these dishes generally very savory and salty. However, traditionally ingredients were scarce in Newfoundland and so only salt, onion and the meat was used to flavour the dish.
Regardless of how it is prepared, the dumplings absorb a lot of the flavour but can also be used to help deal with the salt if the dish comes out a little too heavy in that regard.
However, don't stop there - these dumplings taste great with plenty of different savory soups. So, try them with your favourite next time!
