Chickpea Dumplings in Tomato-Yogurt Sauce

This recipe absolutely lived up to my expectations. The best way to describe it would be as an Indian version of pasta with tomato sauce – comforting, warm, tangy, hearty. The dumplings were perfectly spiced and kind of fun to make. To do so, you boil water with a ginger-garlic paste and then dump in some chickpea flour and stir until it forms a ball of dough. Then you roll the dough out as quickly as possible and cut it into little diamonds. Yes, this is fun for me. The dumplings themselves are addictive. I would estimate that both times I’ve made them I consumed one fourth of them before even starting the sauce. After simmering them in a tomato-yogurt sauce, you have the kind of meal you can’t stop shoveling into your mouth after a long day – unpretentious, filling, flavorful, good.

Chickpea Dumplings in Tomato-Yogurt Sauce

Serves 3-4.

For the chickpea dumplings:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 1-2 jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 2 c. chickpea flour

1. Peel the garlic.  Slice peeled ginger and seeded jalapeno into large chunks.  In a mortar and pestle, grind garlic, ginger, jalapeno, salt, and cumin seeds into a paste.
2. Oil a large cutting board and rolling pin.  Set aside.
3. In a medium pot, bring 1 1/2 c. water and ginger-garlic-pepper paste to a boil.  Turn vent on as steam may sting eyes.  When water is boiling.  Add 2 tsp. oil and stir.  Add chickpea flour, reduce heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until dough comes together in a ball.  Turn the dough out onto oiled board and let stand 1 minute.  Then quickly roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Slice dough into diamonds, and set dumplings aside.

For the masala:

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafetida
• 1 onion, sliced
• 14 oz. canned plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzanos
• 4 cloves garlic crushed into a paste with 1 tsp. salt
• 2 TBS cilantro stems
• 1 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1 c. warm water
• 1 recipe chickpea dumplings, above

1. Mix 1 tsp. cumin seeds, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-low heat.  Add mustard seeds and remaining 1 tsp. cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute.  Add asafetida and onion and sautee 2 minutes, until onion is beginning to soften.  Add garlic paste and sautee an additional 1 minute.  Add spice mixture from step 1, tomatoes, and cilantro stems.  Simmer over low heat until oil pools around edges of pan.
3. Mix yogurt with 1 c. warm water in large bowl.  Add 1 c. of hot tomato mixture to yogurt, stirring yogurt constantly, to temper yogurt and keep it from curdling.  Slowly add yogurt to remaining tomato mixture in pan, stirring constantly.  Bring to a slow boil, add dumplings, and cook 2-3 minutes to heat dumplings through.  Season with additional salt if necessary.  Serve hot.