How to make delicious homemade dumplings

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The correct dough, delicious filling (not only meat), methods of sculpting and making dumplings … Lifehacker has collected all the necessary information for beginners and interesting recipes for advanced cooks.

How to make minced meat for dumplings

This component must be treated with special attention: it is the filling that most of all affects the taste of the dumplings. Therefore, it is wiser to make minced meat yourself, rather than buying ready-made.

The classic recipe assumes equal parts of beef and pork (preferably fillet), onion, salt and pepper. So dumplings are juicy and moderately fatty.

However, you can experiment as you like: mix minced meat with chicken or turkey, make dumplings only from poultry, or cook minced fish.

Here are a few more options for filling for dumplings …

Mushroom stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 kg of forest mushrooms;
• 3-4 onions;
• vegetable oil;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Preparation

Peel the mushrooms and boil until tender. Then cut, fry in vegetable oil and pass through a meat grinder. Sauté the finely chopped onion separately until golden brown. Mix it with minced mushroom, salt and pepper.

Cheese mince

Ingredients

• 800 g of cottage cheese;
• 200 g soft cheese (feta, feta cheese);
• 2 large bunches of greens (dill, parsley, cilantro);
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Preparation

Pass the cottage cheese and cheese through a meat grinder, mix with finely chopped herbs. Salt the minced meat, pepper if desired.

How to make dumplings dough

The dough for dumplings should be dense, steep. To prepare it, flour, room temperature water and salt are enough. Approximate ratio: 3 cups flour, 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of salt.

To make the dough not so bland, you can add 1 egg or mix water and milk in equal proportions. A teaspoon of vegetable oil will prevent the dumplings from cracking when frozen.

Preparation

Sift flour, mix it with salt, make a slide with a depression and pour water into it. First, gently stir the flour and water. When they connect, start kneading the dough, driving flour into it. The process can take 10-15 minutes or more.

The finished dough should not stick to your hands and spread. If the desired consistency is not achieved, add more flour.

From the finished dough, you need to form a ball, sprinkle with flour and let it rest under a bowl or in cling film for 30-40 minutes.

How to make dumplings

Dumpling begins with the creation of dough pieces. You choose the size yourself, but it is better to strive for a diameter of 6–8 cm.

Method 1

Cut a piece from the dough and roll it into a large layer. Using a clean glass, shot glass, or other device of the diameter you need, cut out the blanks.

This method allows you to quickly make several pieces of the same size. But it is bad because not all the dough is consumed (however, the leftovers can be rolled up and used for a new layer), and also because the dough may not be thin enough (a large layer is more difficult to roll out).

If you like thin dough, the second method will suit you.

Method 2

Cut a small part from the dough, roll a sausage out of it and cut into equal pieces. Dip them in flour and roll them out individually.

This method is more time consuming, but the dough can be made as thin as you want.

Remember: during the work, the main part of the dough must be kept closed so that it does not dry out.

After the blanks are prepared, you can proceed directly to the formation of dumplings.

1. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of the dough.
2. Connect the sides to form a crescent moon. Make sure there are no gaps and holes.
3. Clip the ends of the crescent together.
4. The dumpling is ready. All that remains is to remove it on a floured tray, board or baking sheet.

Method 3

The easiest way to make dumplings is using a special device - a dumpling machine.

Roll out the dough and place it with the bottom side (the one with more flour) on the dumplings, also sprinkled with flour. The dough should lie loosely, without tension.

Put ½ teaspoon of the filling into the holes. Cover the dough on top with a second layer of dough with the sticky side to the minced meat.

Then dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the workpiece. The more effort you put in, the better. If everything is done correctly, the dumplings will fall out of shape by themselves.

How to cook dumplings

Heat water in a large saucepan, season with salt, and add bay leaves and allspice. When the water boils, carefully dip the dumplings in it, stir so that they do not stick to the bottom. When the water with dumplings starts to boil again, reduce heat and cook for 5-7 minutes.

If the dumplings have been frozen, the cooking time can be increased by 1–2 minutes.

How to fry dumplings

Pour a glass of vegetable oil into a saucepan or small saucepan. Heat it well and then gently dip 15-20 dumplings inside. When the dumplings are fried until golden brown, remove them, dry on paper towels and serve. Similarly, you can fry dumplings in a deep fryer.

How to make potted dumplings

Ingredients

• 15–20 boiled dumplings;
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter;
• 3-4 tablespoons of low-fat sour cream;
• 50 g grated cheese;
• salt, pepper, herbs - to taste.

Preparation

Lubricate the pot with oil, put the dumplings inside and add the rest of the oil. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, top with sour cream, add grated cheese and cover the pot with a lid. Cook in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Another interesting recipe: Italian dumplings casserole.