# Dumplings



## len mazza

Hi Folks,
Recently bought another misnamed,I think food item here in NZ,enough to feed my paronia anyway.
Item was a bag od so called dumplings,to me a ball of of something cooked in a stew,my mothers could float,light enough to die for.When the bag was opened inside was,what to me look and taste like Gnocchi's. My Practical Cookery book has three recipes for gnocchi,none with mince,which was the filling I am used to,any thoughts.
Cheers,
Len.
PS.The P.Cookery book describes a gonocchi as a small dumpling,another new on me.


----------



## spongebob

Len, my understanding is that gnocchi is pasta type mix stuffed with a filling of potato, mince or whatever. Nothing like the puffy fluffy suet dumplings of yesteryear.
Bob


----------



## the brit

*gnocchi*

gnocchi can be made with potatos an egg and flour then cooked in boiling water for about a minute, can be mixed with a nice cheese sauce tomato sauce, using real tomatos, not the heinz variety or with a pesto sauce, certainly not like the suet dumplings my grandma would make that would be floating on her stews, to die for and i think more preferable.


----------



## Ray Mac

Dumplings like your mother used too make were suet dumplings(*))

Beef suet Flour Salt and Pepper Water.(Bounce)


----------



## Binnacle

Last week bought a packet of dumpling mix from an Iceland Store here in UK, haven't had them for years. Maybe not as good as my mother made but I enjoyed them on top of mince. A 140gm packet of "hearty dumpling mix" cost about 70p, just add four/five tablespoons cold water, mix and divide dough into balls. Enjoy.


----------



## len mazza

Hi,
Yes Spongbob,my understanding also,seems a bit of a stretch to call them dumplings,but then here in NZ. they thinkthe seasons change on the 1st of the month.


----------



## Varley

Burned Toast said:


> Dumplings like your mother used too make were suet dumplings(*))
> 
> Beef suet Flour Salt and Pepper Water.(Bounce)


BT is that self raising? Dumplings too much slap in medico's face but I do VG snake and pygmy but with baking powder and plain (in no way am I challenging you experts. I can do two or three set piece meals for a full table - quite different from feeding a team day after day with varied grub. Was only on one bad feeder ever and that was all Spanish except me and my junior).


----------



## frangio

Up here in Scotland what you call dumplings are called doughballs. I thing of beauty on top of mince (Scottish steak mince, not scraps) or stew.

Now what we call dumpling is something completely different. Clooty dumpling - Heart attack on a plate for pudding. And delicious sliced and fried the next day topped with a fried egg!


----------



## trotterdotpom

Nothing obgnocchi about my mother's dumplings either.

Think some folk call Chinese dim sims, dum sums (however you spell it) dump-lings too but they are actually foreign muck.

John T


----------



## jg grant

from memory, gnochi went with Hungarian beef goulash. A seasoned potato and egg mix is forced through a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle into poaching water. A small knife is used to cut the mix off at regular sizes. Also can be added to a cheese or tomato sauce for a cheapie meal. All same a garnish called spetzli which is grated into poaching water rather than piped. IMHO. Had suet dumplins the other night with silverside. Oh how I miss my carrot gun.


----------



## Varley

trotterdotpom said:


> Nothing obgnocchi about my mother's dumplings either.
> 
> Think some folk call Chinese dim sims, dum sums (however you spell it) dump-lings too but they are actually foreign muck.
> 
> John T


John, Sadam, Somalis and turbine wearing primitives are foreign muck dim sum are fabulous. David V


----------



## Farmer John

franger said:


> Up here in Scotland what you call dumplings are called doughballs. I thing of beauty on top of mince (Scottish steak mince, not scraps) or stew.
> 
> Now what we call dumpling is something completely different. Clooty dumpling - Heart attack on a plate for pudding. And delicious sliced and fried the next day topped with a fried egg!


I wish to try it, but fear of death drives me back.

Interestingly, some dear lady from the Salt Police on the radio a couple of days ago labelled mustard as being high in salt. The other intricacies of it are to silly to go through.


----------



## spongebob

I can remember the Oxtail stew complete with suet dumplings for dinner followed by a suet pudding with lashings of fresh cream from the house cow, jam rolly-polly we used to call it.
The total calorie and saturated fat content of the meal would make a modern day big Mac hamburger look like a vegan wholemeal sandwich.

Bob


----------



## John Rogers

spongebob said:


> I can remember the Oxtail stew complete with suet dumplings for dinner followed by a suet pudding with lashings of fresh cream from the house cow, jam rolly-polly we used to call it.
> The total calorie and saturated fat content of the meal would make a modern day big Mac hamburger look like a vegan wholemeal sandwich.
> 
> Bob


Not to forget Spotted Richard Bob.(A)


----------



## John Rogers

Forgot to mention that my wife make her dumplings out of old bread,onions,eggs and shredded raw potatoes,(no suet) leftovers are cut up and fried with the eggs,just like Franger does them.


----------



## hughesy

Round our way they are called "A Pan of Shackles"
Don't ask me why, I think its a fisherman's term for a pot of stew and Dumplings.
I have tried to get beef suet in America they never know what I'm on about???

all the best
Hughesy


----------



## spongebob

I remember that my mother used to buy "Shreddo" suet which is shortening made from the fat around beef animals or sheep's kidneys.
I see that the brand is still available in the local supermarket chain but it seems a bit expensive at about three pound ten shillings for a 375 gram pot,

Bob


----------



## Varley

John Rogers said:


> Not to forget Spotted Richard Bob.(A)


That's 'Dick' John, surely? They're the wrong colour for a 'Richard'.


----------



## John Rogers

I thought the word Dick would be a No- No on SN.


----------



## Farmer John

John Rogers said:


> Forgot to mention that my wife make her dumplings out of old bread,onions,eggs and shredded raw potatoes,(no suet) leftovers are cut up and fried with the eggs,just like Franger does them.


That sounds good, can you post a recipe? Love the idea of potato in the. We have made bread with potato in, and the taste is good. I grow as many Pink Fir Apple pots as I can, and the taste so good and nutty, would like to try some like this.


----------



## Varley

John Rogers said:


> I thought the word Dick would be a No- No on SN.


If my school Chaplain got away with "Elephant's tool" then I think SN should allow you "Dick". Anyway, sooner that on the table than a Richard III.

(Actually not sure the Chaplain did get away with it. As an ex RM Officer his muscular Christianity didn't quite fit. From his place at the high table all 350 or so of us had pudding renamed within 3 seconds of his utterence. I am not sure we were ever allowed to hear if the forces had interesting names for any other foodstuffs - alas he was gone before the year was out).


----------



## John Rogers

Farmer John said:


> That sounds good, can you post a recipe? Love the idea of potato in the. We have made bread with potato in, and the taste is good. I grow as many Pink Fir Apple pots as I can, and the taste so good and nutty, would like to try some like this.



Sorry John,opened my mouth before I was sure how she makes them. She gets the recipe from a box of mix we buy when we are in Germany.
Next month we will be in Germany and I will grab a couple of boxes and bring back. But below is a recipe she uses so maybe you can try it.


BREAD DUMPLINGS.
6 oz stale bread crumbs
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt, pepper, dash nutmeg
2-3 eggs
3-4 slices of bacon
1 ½ cups of milk
2 table spoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons butter.
Wife leaves out the bacon when she makes them.
Cut the bread into thin slices, diced the bacon. Sauté in a frying pan with the chopped onions
Until golden brown. Add to the bread slices. Add the parsley, salt pepper, and nutmeg.
Heat the milk and pour over the bread mixture, pressing the bread down into the liquid. Let it sit for a while to absorb the milk.
Mix the eggs. If the mixture is too thick to form dumplings, add a little more milk, if too thin
Add breadcrumbs. Form into large balls. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the
Dumplings into the water and simmer until they rise to the surface. Remove and drain.
At serving time, heat the butter and add the dumplings, Sauté until hot and serve.

Serves 8-10.


----------



## Farmer John

John Rogers said:


> Sorry John,opened my mouth before I was sure how she makes them. She gets the recipe from a box of mix we buy when we are in Germany.
> Next month we will be in Germany and I will grab a couple of boxes and bring back. But below is a recipe she uses so maybe you can try it.
> 
> 
> BREAD DUMPLINGS.
> 6 oz stale bread crumbs
> 1 onion, chopped fine
> Salt, pepper, dash nutmeg
> 2-3 eggs
> 3-4 slices of bacon
> 1 ½ cups of milk
> 2 table spoons chopped parsley
> 3 tablespoons butter.
> Wife leaves out the bacon when she makes them.
> Cut the bread into thin slices, diced the bacon. Sauté in a frying pan with the chopped onions
> Until golden brown. Add to the bread slices. Add the parsley, salt pepper, and nutmeg.
> Heat the milk and pour over the bread mixture, pressing the bread down into the liquid. Let it sit for a while to absorb the milk.
> Mix the eggs. If the mixture is too thick to form dumplings, add a little more milk, if too thin
> Add breadcrumbs. Form into large balls. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the
> Dumplings into the water and simmer until they rise to the surface. Remove and drain.
> At serving time, heat the butter and add the dumplings, Sauté until hot and serve.
> 
> Serves 8-10.


Thank you very much for that, it is going into the must try box. The spuds are not even flowering yet (cold wet summer) but it looks a good one to try when they do come through.


----------



## John Rogers

Send a little of that cold wet this way,its been 100-108 deg (F) for the past month,not a tear drop of rain, a lot of the crops are dying and the rivers are getting very low. Weather man promised rain for tomorrow,if it doesn't come he better have a fast horse to get out of town.


----------



## John Rogers

What a lucky guy I am, the wife fixed the dumplings tonight,lots of mushroom gravy with pork and dumplings, she then said this is what you are getting for breakfast and showed me four leftover dumplings which she will throw in some eggs. Still licking my chops after that meal.

John.


----------



## trotterdotpom

spongebob said:


> I remember that my mother used to buy "Shreddo" suet which is shortening made from the fat around beef animals or sheep's kidneys.
> I see that the brand is still available in the local supermarket chain but it seems a bit expensive at about three pound ten shillings for a 375 gram pot,
> 
> Bob


You might want to try another shop Bob, that Shreddo must be way out of date by now!

John T


----------



## Leratty

Gnocchi are not stuffed or filled with anything, rather they are a fabulous Italian (Marco Polo reputability nicked them along with Pasta from China.) dish made with potato & served with any manner of sauces, cheese, etc, just delicious as are dumplings in stew however they are a different kettle of fish.
Asian dumplings are superb with many varieties out there. As long time residents of that part of the world we eat them regularly in soups or in numerous other ways, stuffed with many different things, sea food, meat, vegetables you name it. Also just plain with a soup or saucy course. Even in Aus you get standard pork dumplings. To say Trotterdotpom that "they are actually foreign muck " is bemusing? Ah maybe you were being tongue in cheek...anyway sure beats a Chicko Roll or pie floater, fried Mars Bar or ones mothers over boiled vegetables way back when etc.
Food glorious food as Oliver would say. All in ones perception of taste I guess?


----------



## trotterdotpom

Marco Polo was around in the 13th century but spuds didn't arrive in Europe until the 16th. They arrived in Asia sometime after that as far as I can find. Therefore, it's unlikely that Marco brought gnocchi back from China. It's hard to believe now that spuds were once "foreign muck", luckily we put our own stamp on it and invented the chip (in Belgium I believe).

The other day, in a shop specialising in British and Irish fare, i ran into a young Scottish couple who were deliriously happy at finding a frozen block of something called "square sausages". On their recommendation, I bought some and they were crap. With Scotland's pending withdrawal from the UK, they are destined to become "Foreign Muck" - Leratty is right, Foreign Muck is in the eye of the beholder.

John T 

PS The "Deep Fried Mars Bar" is just a Scottish dim sum using batter instead of the dough used in Chinese versions. The Scottish couple assured me that they are strictly a breakfast dish.


----------



## Leratty

Ah Trotterdotpom not so sure re Chinese & spuds though shall not argue with you on it? Of course all remember the well known first lady of Paris whose head was to come off later keeping them for their flower & murmuring Soto voice something to do with, "let them eat cake"when us lot sought some for sustenance. Chinese history is not well acknowledged outside Trotterdotpom, however you being an Aus now might have come across a book, can not think of the title off hand. I think it could be a year ( 1200 1600?) quite a tome too, in which it is stated they indeed were sailing to Middle east Africa, Aus & elsewhere in the Pacific + possibly even US? I shall try to find its title for you. Yes I am aware that spuds came from the Americas as we understand it, though I would not dismiss China for not having had them in dear old Marco's time. Did you know tomato-ketchup sauce is also Chinese? I think ketchup is a Chinese word mangled by the west? I know like Scottish square sausages something to be wary of  of course could be the meat they were made of? 
As Oliver said. "Food glorious food." Again all in ones perception of taste I guess?
Yes it was the Belgians who invented chips-fry's whatever, they are very proud of that too. Sad really if that is what one becomes proud of ): 
Could I be correct in assuming you are in dear old Qld? Typhoon here, never seen rain like this ever. Roads closed, boats off moorings-ships at typhoon shelters viz about 20m odd. It has been going on for three days + another three to go, we will all be stir crazy.


----------



## alan ward

#24 My mate you have no idea,it has rained here,heavily,for month after month.Our rivers are bursting their banks and even our local Rudyard Lake which is a reservoir for the canal system and at this time of year is usually showing parched bottom linings is over the roots of surrounding trees,it`s like the Everglades and we are in the hills of the Staffordshire Moorlands!We`ve just had two successive dry days and people are celebrating as if it`s Xmas


----------



## trotterdotpom

Ref post #29.

The book you are thinking of is "1421: The Year China Discovered the World" by Mrs Menzies' little boy Gavin. I was one of the many mugs who bought it. The book has been ridiculed by everyone except Mrs Menzies. See http://www.1421exposed.com/ where it is amusingly called "Junk History".

The "Let them eat cake" epithet is another myth, Marie Antoinette never said it, although I bet she wished she did!

The name Ketchup may very well be of Chinese origin, but it's doubtful that Tomato Ketchup was invented in China ... for "tomato" read "potato".

History is full of good yarns that we love to hear. Apparently, the story that those bowl shaped champagne glasses are modelled on a mould of Josephine's boobarini is also a myth, but I prefer to believe it - no need to spoil everything and it gives some point to drinking that particular Foreign Muck.

In addition to the Great British Chip, the Belgians also invented the waffle and the sprout. We owe them a lot.

Sorry to hear about your Typhoon ... stay safe.

John T


----------



## Farmer John

Farmer John said:


> Thank you very much for that, it is going into the must try box. The spuds are not even flowering yet (cold wet summer) but it looks a good one to try when they do come through.


Erm misread your recipe, the bread one sounds good as well.


----------



## Farmer John

trotterdotpom said:


> The other day, in a shop specialising in British and Irish fare, i ran into a young Scottish couple who were deliriously happy at finding a frozen block of something called "square sausages". QUOTE]
> 
> Is this the stuff that recently appeared in the super market as "Lorne sausage". It looked like something nasty, it went to the reduced bit in tons, now they don't sell it. Do I feel sorry not to have tried it? No, we have a mincer (Gervase, stop it, that is not what I meant).


----------



## John Rogers

Forget "Square Sausages" keep your eyes open for this crap (Product)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXXrB3rz-xU


----------



## spongebob

John, That is Aussie TV front man Matt White?. I can recall this news item a year or so ago.
could be interesting, strips of Roo, possum, crocodile and emu laminated into a a galaxy of flavour!!


----------



## John Rogers

spongebob said:


> John, That is Aussie TV front man Matt White?. I can recall this news item a year or so ago.
> could be interesting, strips of Roo, possum, crocodile and emu laminated into a a galaxy of flavour!!


Bob, Its done a lot in this country also. Wife bought some Canadian bacon today and I was reading the label on the package and there was the warning sign "BONDED"that's one of the words they are required by law to put on the label if they have used the glue.


----------



## spongebob

Overconsumption could cause a devastating blockage in the digestive system if the glue decided to keep working!!

Bob


----------



## trotterdotpom

The "Square Sausage" looked like a small block of frozen mincemeat. After thawing, it looked like six square hamburger patties and tasted similar to that stuff they call "sausage" on the breakfast buffet in American hotels.

John, here Downunder, we were warned about "meat glue" a few months ago. They can make the scrapings from a butcher's boot look like filet steak! The meat was being sold in Sizzlers and similar establishments. They all say they have stopped using it now.

Luckily, the glue only causes cancer in a few people. One man's meat is another man's poison!

John T


----------



## John Rogers

spongebob said:


> Overconsumption could cause a devastating blockage in the digestive system if the glue decided to keep working!!
> 
> Bob



I think the output pipe would also stop up. Like the mean animal called a crocagator, it has a head of a gator one end and a croc on the other,what makes him so mean is he can eat what he wants but cant S..t


----------



## Leratty

Trotterdotpom, here are a couple of sites for you to have a look at apropos Chinese & their having spuds way back when & getting to the Americas way back when. Zheng He the Chinese explorer was an amazing sailor & if you can get any books on him suggest your have a read fascinating. http://precolumbianoceanictravel.we...ation-the-journey-of-zheng-he-and-others.html
The other is the book I was rabbiting about, it is a great read 
http://www.1421.tv/ & also visit Gavin Menzies site (on that site) if you have the time. Should the sites not come up just tap in "Chinese Exploration"that should do it.
Back to dumplings & or their relatives, what about trying Pelimini, yum! Also Piroshki, double yum! Yep foreign muck but tasty.


----------



## trotterdotpom

Thanks Leratty, but see my post #31.

John T


----------



## Leratty

Be buggered Trotterdotpom that is some rebuttal/critique of 1421. Amazing that Mr. Menzies would not have realised he would be placed under the microscope on publication? Loved the bit about Enoch Powell & garnering 77 votes, too much, also the vexatious litigant bit. JC all avoid going to litigation for reasons of cost let alone chances of actually winning, he must have been mad! Hope that Zeng He is not similarly rubbish? Mary A reputed statement which on reflection believe it was made re cake (?) not spuds but I recall a debate where Antonio Fraser no slouch on historical publications said she did & that she for reasons of the times Mary A is/was much maligned with many naughty things said about her chastity. Ketchup well it is oft stated here that same is a derivation of a Chinese word for that product & that it/tom sauce came from here? Potatoes were in China early 1600's again much debate same same. Gnocchi can be made from flour & water not just potato, Mrs. Ratty argued loud & long on that subject but apparently so, I retreated to the river with Toad for a cool ale to avoid disharmony. Champaign glasses, well they must have been small but then small is sweet. We use flutes. Only bad Champaign (oops should say "style") is Aus except possibly Taltarni from Vic. Down to a cat 4 warning now transport back on roads, trees everywhere, rain easing though very heavy at times. Hopefully all back to work by Monday thus avoiding cabin fever thus reading of further spurious publications.


----------



## Varley

John Rogers said:


> Bob, Its done a lot in this country also. Wife bought some Canadian bacon today and I was reading the label on the package and there was the warning sign "BONDED"that's one of the words they are required by law to put on the label if they have used the glue.


Bugger! - I thought that meant it had alcohol in it!


----------



## frangio

Farmer John said:


> trotterdotpom said:
> 
> 
> 
> The other day, in a shop specialising in British and Irish fare, i ran into a young Scottish couple who were deliriously happy at finding a frozen block of something called "square sausages". QUOTE]
> 
> Is this the stuff that recently appeared in the super market as "Lorne sausage". It looked like something nasty, it went to the reduced bit in tons, now they don't sell it. Do I feel sorry not to have tried it? No, we have a mincer (Gervase, stop it, that is not what I meant).
> 
> 
> 
> Lorne sausage is rubbish, especially the stuff sold in supermarkets. A proper Scottish butcher will normally have two beef square slice. A cheaper one (sometimes called lorne nowadays) and a steak slice with a much higher meat content. Most butchers where I live only do the steak version. A good one is brilliant!
Click to expand...


----------



## Ray Mac

Lorne sausage like scotch pies and fried mars bars a real delicacy in Aberdeen.(Jester)[=P](Thumb)


----------



## ccurtis1

Here's one for you Ray (Burned Toast) as you are from Sunderland you should know the answer. What were "puddings in the corner" I remember as a little lad being served these delicious offerings. Were they suet dumplings? If memory serves me correctly, they had a lovely brown crust with a doughy underbelly.


----------



## paul0510

Dumplings (German style) I usually make myself. True, you can buy ready-made squelchy mixes made from spuds here but I prefer the bread roll variety. Here's how:

8 bread rolls left to get stale
Slice these thin (messy, crumbly job) into a bowl
Pour about 1/4-1/2 liter hot milk over the lot and let stand for 1/2 hour (in fridge)
In the meantime, finely chop an onion and fresh parsley and fry both in a pan until onions are glassy.
To the bread/milk mix now add one egg, some salt, pepper and muscat together with onions/parsley and knead into a fairly stiff mass.
Form 6 to 8 dumplings and put into hot, should not be boiling, water for 25 mins. They will eventually float on the surface.

Big hunk of meat and a luvly dollop o' gravy to go wiv 'em. Guten Appetit !


----------



## Ray Mac

ccurtis1 said:


> Here's one for you Ray (Burned Toast) as you are from Sunderland you should know the answer. What were "puddings in the corner" I remember as a little lad being served these delicious offerings. Were they suet dumplings? If memory serves me correctly, they had a lovely brown crust with a doughy underbelly.


Stiil have them now hinney(Thumb) Quite reet too, Puddings in the corner, suet dumpling with good quality beef mince.:sweat: Neeps and creamed tatties, and a dollop of brown sauce(Smoke)

Ray(==D)


----------

