Jamaican Fried Dumplings

 

Low & Slow

If you want fried dumplings and have little to no oil, then keep reading. It's a very similar recipe to the one I already have posted with just a slight variation. However, this post is special because I filmed it. So you can watch me make it too. All you need is a bit of pre-planning and patience.

I say pre-planning because somebody must make the dough the night before. It's an added step, but it makes a difference. Your dumplings will come out lovely if you let the dough rest for an hour or two, but they will be fabulous if you let it rest overnight. And don't you want and deserve fabulous dumplings?

I say patience because these bad boys are cooked low and slow. They won't be going in hot oil and coming out after 5 minutes. This dumpling cooks on a low heat setting for a relatively long time. It takes about 30 to 35 minutes, depending on the dumping's size, to be cooked through to the center. I do not cover them at all because covering gets rid of the crispy outer layer. The flames are so low you can leave the kitchen to take the line's clothes and come back, and they won't be burnt. It is the method for me because I can be cooking all the other things while the dumpling frying without worrying they will burn. And now and again, give it a flip so it can get golden on all sides. 

As for the oil, I can't be the only one who hates deep-frying. I feel like I'm wasting the oil. Using 1-3 cups of oil to fry dumplings when I can get the same results with  ½ cup or less seems crazy to me.  So its ½ cup of oil max, sometimes I use less. I do a 50/50 mix of sunflower and coconut oil. The coconut oil is for flavor. It froths up quite a bit when the dumplings go in at first, but they will soon go away as they cook.

All in all. It's light, soft, and chewy on the inside and crispy and perfectly golden on the outside, just like its deep-fried cousins. Taste just as good too.

Ingredients (printable recipe)
 
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup water

Instructions

The night before

• Dissolve the sugar and water in a container
• sift together flour, salt, and baking powder
• add the sugar water gradually to the flour mixture kneading
• knead until it comes together about 5 minutes
• wrap in a plastic wrap and set aside overnight

The next morning 

• remove the wrapper, lightly knead for 2 minutes, and portion into balls
• form your dumplings and set aside
• place oil in a frying pan and on the lowest or medium/low setting (apx 250F ) heat the oil
• add the dumplings and fry on all side until golden brown
• Fry the two large sides and then turn them on their sides and fry all around the edges, so the dumpling is completely golden and crispy as if it had been deep-fried.
• serve hot

Greedy tips:

•  You can use white sugar and add it directly to the flour; I dissolve my sugar in the water because I only have brown sugar, and it does not dissolve easily in the dough.
• Leave the dough out on the counter; don't put in the refrigerator. If you let it rest in the fridge, you would need the added step of removing it and letting the dough warm up thoroughly to room temp or close to room temp before frying. So I don’t bother with that at all.

XOXO Greedygirl