Dumplings
 

Types of dumplings or noodles? Your favorites? Any disliked?

Mostly we're talking about what you prefer for sauces and gravies.

I've had liver dumplings that were good (somewhere in Austria) and liver dumplings that were terrible. Neither of these was designed for sauce, however, but as dishes on their own.

I like bread dumplings in the Czech Republic, potato dumplings not so much. In Germany, if I could be turned loose in the Frankfurt train station fast-food place called MIB (Markt (sp?) im Bahnhof), I'd try every noodle that they served.

Here in the U.S., we can get spatzle (sorry, no umlaut) mix, though making spatzle at home is also easy. I think of spatzle as a sort of cross between noodle and dumpling.

There are also U.S. Southern-style dumplings served with either chicken and broth or with apples and sugar and cinnamon, but Southerners don't seem to put gravy or sauce on dumplings.

My favorite is a Czech-style bread dumpling for gravies. I've tried egg noodles and I've tried spatzle. This is best of all, though they're all good.

Here it is.

In case anyone is wondering, this thread is meant to complement the recipes in the German thread earlier, in which several posts discussed sauerbraten. For me, a good dumpling is one that will absorb the sauerbraten (or other roast) sauce or gravy.

Fry two slices of cubed bread in a lot of butter and set aside. Blend two cups flour, two teaspoons baking soda, one teaspoon salt. Beat two eggs in a cup and finish filling the cup with milk. Stir in liquid to flour mixture, then add the two slices of cubed fried bread. Turn out onto a floured board and turn a time or two, then divide into two loaves. Let sit awhile (optional).

Have a large pot filled with water at a rolling boil. Drop the two loaves in. Cover pot and cook for twenty minutes without removing lid. Then remove lid, turn dumplings over, replace lid, and boil another five minutes.

Remove onto a platter, using a slotted spoon, and immediately slice into two-inch slices. This is to let steam escape. In an hour or two, you can refrigerate. Then steam them the next day prior to serving. They can be served the same day they are made, but are better steamed.

Anyhow--they go wonderfully with any roast gravy. These are standard with the Czech meal of roast pork and sauerkraut but also go well with sauerbraten.

Your own dumpling or noodle preferences or dislikes?

im a huge fan. most memorable were probably in grundelsee austria.

I like them, too. And I think I have seen Knoedl mixes in the US, too -- Maggi brand. I'd rather make my own.

Lot and lots of variations on recipes out there, too. The bread dumplings you describe are very nice with a bit of fried onion and Speck (bacon) in them, too.

This is making me hungry. :(

I thought this was a thread about asian dumplings =(

As a korean, I think I will add in my 2 cents.

1st cent: Korean Dumpling and Rice Cake soup (dtuk mandoo gook) is amazing, even if its not New Years (Obviously the only thing better than mom's is grandma's, but next best place is Takamatsu on Dunlap Ave in Glendale, AZ).

2nd cent: Cold Buckwheat Noodles (Mul Nyaeng myun) for the summer heat (especially at Seoul Jung in Glendale, AZ next to the Great Skate Mall), Spicy Seafood Soup with Noodles (Cjam-pong) for the winter (No idea where to get except for this place in Chicago I haven't been to in years, so not sure if its still around or if its still good, but its called the Seven Seas restaurant on Lawrence Ave. Their chicken wings were amazing too).

3rd cent(Penny saved is a penny earned?): Beef noodle soup (don't know chinese) with plenty of garlic pepper sauce is amazing anytime, but especially ant Kung Ho in Factoria (Bellevue, WA across from Factoria Mall next to QFC). Make sure to get their savory donuts with soy milk and their fried rice, and chinese broccoli in oyster sauce.

west chinese meat filled dumplings with a chili-soy dip sauce. no question.

The leek dumplings at the Peking Gourmet restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, are my favorites, although the dumplings at the Chinatown Express in DC make a great accompaniment to their lai mein (stretched noodle) soup.

Chinese soup dumplings. They are steamed with a bouillon cube inside, so that there is both meat and hot (scalding, often) soup inside. The recommendation eating method is to take a bite out of it, drain the soup into a spoon, eat the now safe dumpling and chase it with the soup. Served with vinegary soy with thin strips of ginger. Yum.

pc

I really like spaetzle, but never had it in Europe. Here, it's been served fried and unfried. Which is the authentic way? It's funny, I was scanning a Wolfgang Puck (Austrian himself) cookbook this morning and bookmarked his spaetzle recipe (fried) as a possible sidedish for tomorrow.

I like the British suet dumplings (suet being the fat around a lamb's, or maybe calf's, kidneys). Hard to get these days though. The german/austrian potato dumplings and bread dumplings are nice with gravy.

I found unfried more common based on a few years living in Germany, but I suppose that could have been a function of where I was and with whom I was usually dining. I definitely prefer unfried.

One nice dish with them is Schwaebische Kaese Spaetzle which is the spaetzle mixed with some grated Emmentaler cheese (and maybe some fried onion, can't quite recall for certain, as it has been a while), then topped with some onions that have been fried crisp and then the whole lot is baked. There may well be some other seasonings in there, I'd have to dig through my cookbooks to know for sure, as I have made it, but it has been even longer than since I've eaten it, but the main flavors are the spaetzle, cheese & onion.

Well, not really ... the cube is of aspic, which melts in the steaming heat.
A bouillon cube would be pretty interesting ...

Shanghai soup dumplings are the best!

Is it aspic? Cool! That makes more sense - I was wondering where I could pick up such tasty bouillon! :) I was repeating a friend's home recipe, so maybe she takes a shortcut. Thanks.

pc

Maybe a better question: What is aspic? Georgecostanza-ing the word is hopefully not helpful.

well asian dumplings/etc (stuffed) are awesome as well of course, but they are completely different from the "european?" dumplings..