CALLALOO AND SMOKY GOUDA FRIED DUMPLINGS
SERVES 8 (MAKES 16 DUMPLINGS)
I USED TO GO CRAZY FOR STUFFED DUMPLINGS when I was a kid and now my children do too. Because they are extra satisfying, I find that they’re a really smart add-on for dinner parties that are going to include dishes with Herb so everyone feels happy and full because they can eat as many fried dumplings as they want (and who wouldn’t want to double up on that?). Leafy green callaloo, kind of like a cross between Swiss chard and spinach, is what we use for the filling in Jamaica, but you can substitute chopped fresh spinach or Swiss chard if you can’t get fresh callaloo (canned callaloo just doesn’t have the same texture or flavor). Or leave out the greens altogether for an all-out decadent cheesy dumpling.
DUMPLING DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
FILLING
2 cups packed fresh callaloo or baby spinach, roughly chopped
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small plum tomato, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ Scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (seeded for less heat)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
About 6 cups vegetable oil
Guava Ketchup (optional)
- MAKE THE DUMPLING DOUGH: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks crumbly. Stir in ⅓ cup water, kneading the mixture until it comes together. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you can knead the dough into an evenly textured ball without any dry patches (you may need to add up to 3 more tablespoons water depending on the dryness of your flour and the humidity of your kitchen).
- MAKE THE FILLING: Add 2 tablespoons water to a medium nonstick skillet. Add the callaloo or spinach to the skillet followed by the onion, tomato, garlic, Scotch bonnet, thyme, and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is completely wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a colander and set in the sink to drain until completely cooled. Place the callaloo mixture in a bowl and stir in the grated smoked Gouda.
- Pour 2 inches oil into a deep saucepan and heat to 375°F over medium-high heat.
- While the oil heats, assemble the dumplings: Break off a tablespoon of dough and knead it with your thumbs until smooth, then roll it into a ball. Use your fingers and thumbs to flatten it into a thin 4-inch disk. Make the “OK” sign with the forefinger and thumb of your nondominant hand and place the dough on top of the “O.” Press the dough into the “O” to make a little bowl, then add about ½ tablespoon of the filling. Gather the edges of the dough and pinch them together, sealing the dumpling shut. Repeat with the rest of the dough and the filling.
- Add 4 to 5 dumplings to the hot oil (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop, and instead of frying up crispy the dumplings will absorb the oil and be greasy). Fry them on all sides until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon or frying spider to transfer the dumplings to a plate lined with paper towels. Add more dumplings to the pan and repeat. Serve with Guava Ketchup, if desired.
