Dumplings recipe

This dumplings recipe is so easy to follow and delicious too! Soft fluffy dumplings with suet make a delicious addition to any casserole and make a meal extra hearty and warming. They're very quick and easy to make using just flour, suet and salt which is mixed with water to form a soft dough. The dough is then rolled into balls and popped into the casserole or stew 30 mins before the end of the cooking time.

You can add flavorings to the dumpling mixture such as parsley for chicken casserole, mint for lamb, mustard or horseradish for beef, and chopped crispy bacon and fried onion for a sausage casserole. Mini dumplings are great in hearty soups.

Ingredients

• 100g self-raising flour
• 50g shredded suet

Method

1. Mix the flour and suet in a bowl with a pinch of salt and approx 5tbsp water to form a soft dough. Divide into 8 equal pieces and roll each one into a rough ball with lightly floured hands. For mini dumplings roll the mixture into 16 balls.
2. Add the dumplings to the casserole 30 mins before the end of the cooking time, cover with a lid and cook until the dumplings swell and rise to the surface. Mini dumplings will take 15-20 mins.

The best way to tell if dumplings are cooked and ready to be served is by poking the dumpling through the middle with a skewer or knife. If it comes out clean then your dumplings are ready to eat.

Usually dumplings take about 15-20 minutes when cooked in a stew or casserole. The bigger the dumplings, the longer it will take to cook. If you leave your dumplings to cook too long they can disintegrate and fall apart when serving.