Everyone loves dumplings. They are savory and amazingly delicious. Simply put, dumplings are the ultimate comfort food. The balls of dough combined with tender meat, veggies, and rich, creamy broth are to die for.
When cooked properly, dumplings should be light, tender, and fluffy. All you have to do is use a spoon to slice one of them, scoop your broth and tender meat, and enjoy the perfect combination.
Unfortunately, not everyone manages to make the perfect light and fluffy dumplings. Sometimes, you may end up with tough, undercooked, and doughy dumplings.
If you try making dumplings and they turn out doughy, the first question you ask yourself is; why are my dumplings doughy? This article will help you answer this question.
Making dumplings requires a certain skill set. It may take a little bit of practice before figuring out how to make the perfect dumplings, but do not be discouraged.
I aim to ensure that your dumplings turn out light and fluffy, so if you always end up with doughy dumplings, keep reading.
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There are several possible reasons why your dumplings are doughy. You may have used the wrong heat settings, used lard and not margarine, boiled the ingredients, failed to knead the dumpling dough properly, used wet dough, failed to steam the dumplings properly, or used filling that is too wet.
In this article, we will discuss these reasons in detail and give you tips on correcting the mistakes and end up with light and tender dumplings. Let’s dive in.
Reasons why your dumplings are doughy
Here are a few possible reasons why your dumplings are doughy and how to correct your mistakes.
Wrong heat settings
To end up with light and fluffy dumplings, you must use the right heat settings.
If you end up with doughy dumplings all the time, the chances are that you need to change your heat settings.
Note that your heat settings need to be low. This way, your dumplings will cook well, and their texture will be just right.
Using lard
Most traditional dumplings recipes call for lard. However, lard tends is not a suitable ingredient choice for dumplings as it can make their texture unpleasant.
Instead of using lard, use butter or margarine. The secret to light, fluffy dumplings is ditching the lard and using margarine or butter in its place.
Margarine ensures that the dumpling dough puffs up when it needs to.
Boiling ingredients
I have come across a few recipes that suggest you boil all the ingredients to steam perfectly.
However, boiling the ingredients is the wrong approach.
Once you cover the lid, the ingredients quickly heat up and may even stick to the bottom of your pot. Consequently, you end up with dumplings that are doughy with a burnt flavor.
Failure to knead the dumpling dough properly.
It would be best if you kneaded dumpling dough properly for you to make fluffy dumplings.
All the ingredients need to be combined completely. Start by mixing the dry ingredients, then add the heavy cream and margarine mixture and start kneading.
It is also important that you don’t overwork the dough. Please don’t pay too much attention to the fact that the dough is a little bit lumpy; it doesn’t need to have a perfectly fine texture.
If you overwork the dough, the texture of your dumplings will be tough and unpleasant.
Using wet dough
Since the dumpling dough is the base for your dumplings, it significantly affects how your dumplings turn out.
If your dough is wet, you will end up with doughy dumplings.
The wet dough contains moisture that will affect the texture of your dumplings.
Also, check out: How to Make Lumpy Cream of Wheat.
Failure to steam the dumplings properly.
As I mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t close the lid when cooking dumplings, but you should steam them properly.
It would be best if you steamed the dumplings until they are completely cooked before adding the broth. The steaming process should take approximately 16 minutes.
Your dumplings will have the perfect texture if you steam them properly.
Using filling that is too wet
The wet filling can interfere with the texture of your dumplings.
Therefore, you must ensure your filling does not have too much moisture.
Use filling that contains just a little bit of moisture so that your dumplings turn out light and soft with juicy filling.
Recipe for fluffy dumplings
Dumplings are easy to make, and you can make them in a few minutes.
They have an amazing flavor, and you can eat them with stews or soups. Here is my favorite dumplings recipe that I use every time I want to make fluffy dumplings.
You will need:
- Two cups of flour.
- One teaspoon of salt.
- Four teaspoons of baking powder.
- One cup milk/ heavy cream.
- Four tablespoons of margarine/butter.
Process
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the margarine or butter to the dry ingredients, then use a spoon or fingers to combine it with the dry ingredients.
- Stir in your milk or heavy cream to the mixture. I recommend using a wooden spoon at this point.
- Adjust the liquid so that your dumpling dough is moist enough and not wet.
- In a gently simmering pot, add the dumpling dough by the spoonful.
- After 10 minutes, make a slit in a dumpling to check whether it has cooked thoroughly and there is no raw dough in the middle. If it hasn’t, let the dumplings cook for a further 6 minutes, then remove from heat. They should be light and moist and this point.
- Add your filling and enjoy!
Conclusion
So many people complain that their dumplings have a doughy texture.
Sometimes, you can follow a recipe to the latter, and they still end up doughy. The tips we have shared above will come in handy when you want to make light, fluffy dumplings.
Avoid the mistakes mentioned for the best dumplings you have ever made. The recipe I have shared above also works for me every time.
Let me know how your dumplings turn out the next time you make them.
