the culinary roots of two special places,”
said Asha Gomez in My Two Souths
(Running Press). Born and raised in
Kerala, India, I moved to Atlanta more
than 15 years ago and opened my first
restaurant there after creating a supper
club that took off once I began blending
Southern and Kerala cuisines.
In Georgia, people are passionate about
chicken and dumplings. But I make a
version that folds in lessons I learned in
Kerala, where I used to mix the spices
for family dinners and where there’s a
tradition of women gathering to roll rice
flour dumplings, or pidi, when a woman is
expecting a child. In this recipe, “any variety
of pie pumpkin or winter squash can
be used to impart the earthy sweetness.” If
you like dumplings, “I implore you” to give
these cumin-seeded darlings a try.
Recipe of the week
Chicken and pumpkin with dumplings
2 cups rice flour
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small fryer chicken (2½ to 3½ lbs), cut
into 8 pieces
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 cups seeded, peeled, and diced sugar
pumpkin
2 stalks celery, rough-cut into large chunks
2 fresh bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp turmeric powder
1½ tsp salt
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups coconut milk
15 fresh Thai basil leaves
For the dumplings:
In a medium bowl, mix rice flour, cumin
seeds, and kosher salt. Gradually stir in
2 cups warm water to rice flour mixture to
make soft dough that is not sticky; dough
will have a somewhat sandy texture.
Form 24 ½-inch balls of dough with
hands or melon baller. Make small
divot in each by pressing down in center
with thumb; place on baking sheet. Set
steamer basket over medium pan with
1 qt water; place dumplings in basket,
making sure they are not touching, and
cover. Bring water to boil over mediumhigh
heat. Steam dumplings until firm
and plump, 8 to 10 minutes.
For the stew or curry:
Put olive oil in large Dutch oven with
tight-fitting lid; heat on medium until
oil is hot. In separate bowl, dredge
chicken pieces in flour. Drop chicken pieces
one by one into oil; brown for about
2 minutes on each side. Remove chicken
and set aside. Add shallots and ginger to
Dutch oven and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
Add pumpkin, celery, bay leaves, thyme,
turmeric, and salt. Cook, stirring, 1 minute;
stir in stock. Return chicken to Dutch oven;
cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer
for 15 minutes. Add coconut milk; stir
just until combined. Add dumplings and stir
gently to coat dumplings with sauce. Cover
and simmer 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Roll basil leaves in a cigar-like fashion; slice
into thin ribbons. Garnish each serving
with a scattering of basil. Serves 6.
