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
- 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.
- Oil a large cutting board and rolling pin. Set aside.
- 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
- Mix 1 tsp. cumin seeds, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
Dining and Cooking