In Jamaica and much of the other Caribbean islands boiled dumplings are staple for almost any meal especially saucy stews, curries or soup. It’s basically flour and water with a bit of salt kneaded to make a dough that is then shaped into discs and dropped into boiling water to cook.
My grandfather loves boiled dumplings and could eat them at least once a day EVERYDAY. Easy as they are to make it’s an easy enough request to handle. I however, get quite bored having the same thing everyday and like to switch things up. Because my grandfather is adventurous when it comes to food, this is a plus for both of us. He would get to have dumplings everyday and I’d get to cook up different variations to my hearts content.
Aside from stuffing “plain” dumpling dough with whatever leftovers I have (curried cabbage, saltfish or corned beef stew and so on) for “surprise dumplings” 😆 over the years I’ve cooked up many a dumpling variation from the typical cornmeal or wholewheat, to cassava, pumpkin, sweet potato, callaloo, herbed, garlic, buckwheat, beet root and “power dumplings” which contain flax, oatmeal, wholewheat and bran.
I made these ackee dumplings with my grandfather in mind and will have to make them for him when next we see each other. I added turmeric to enhance the colour of the finished product but it’s nutritive value as a natural anti-inflammatory also make it a plus. I use a combination of plain and cassava flour, but you could use whatever you like. The recipe amounts are more of a guide since there isn’t such a thing as a boiled dumpling recipe, it’s something you feel to know. A softer dough with lighter flours will give you soft dumplings and a stiff dough will give you firm dumplings, whichever you like comes down to a matter of preference, there is no real right or wrong.
I mix these by hand so I can feel the dough, but I have been known to shamelessly use the stand mixer. First the ackees are warmed slightly to make them easier to press through the sieve then just enough water is added to make a soft dough.
These dumplings can be used as a side. I enjoyed them with the leftover oxtail from these Oxtail Tacos with Ackee Two Ways and also dropped into a Chicken Pesto Soup.
What kind of dumplings did you grow up making if at all? As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. If you make this or any of the recipes from this site, be sure to #amazingackee and @amazingackee so I can see your posts across social media.
Until next time, thanks for stopping by 😊
Ackee Boiled Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 cup Parboiled Ackee pureed (or pass through a sieve)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- Water as needed
Instructions
- Knead all the ingredients together adding water a little at a time to make a soft dough (not sticky, add more flour a tablespoon at a time if the dough is sticky).
- Set a large pot of water over high heat to bring to a boil, add just a little salt.
- Pinch or cut off pieces of the dough and form a ball then flatten into a disc
- Drop discs into the water then stir to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Repeat till you've used up all the dough.
- Boil until done, dumplings will float when they are cooked through.
- Enjoy!