Jamaican Curry Chicken and Fried Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings is a common dish that I have heard many know much about.  Jamaican curry chicken, or just curry chicken for short, and dumplings is a dish that is quite common to those who are Jamaican.  Usually curry chicken is cooked and accompanied by rice, but on occasion it can be accompanied by fried dumplings.  These dumplings are usually served for breakfast or lunch, but not usually during dinner.  If a Jamaican family cooked curry chicken for dinner, but had left overs, the next day the curry chicken and dumplings can be eaten either for breakfast and/or lunch.  

The key to curry chicken is the type of curry powder used.  Almost every Jamaican family has their own version of Jamaican curry powder.  Most purchase this type of curry from an authentic Jamaican store but it can also be purchased online.  My family usually uses Blue Mountain Jamaican Curry Powder but this recipe uses JCS Reggae Country Style Jamaican Curry Powder.

 

**One key note about working with curry is it does stain very easily.  It should be handled with care and should be prepared in metal dishes.  If the curry powder is used in a plastic dish or with plastic utensils it will stain either of them.**

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

2 ½ lb boned chicken thighs

1 onion

3 celery stalks

3 whole carrots

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

4 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 ½ Tablespoons canola oil

2 Tablespoon Jamaican curry (divided)

Dumplings:

3 cups enriched bleached all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons baking powder (double acting)

½ teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon 2% milk

1 cup cold water

STEPS:

Chicken:

Slice carrots and celery into ½ inch slices.  Slice onions into ¼ x 2 inch slices.  Cut chicken thighs into three equal parts using a cleaver.  Make sure to chop evenly so that even cuts are placed through the bone of the chicken.

Mix chicken, vegetables and seasonings in a large bowl

Add oil and 1 Tablespoon of curry to large pot and turn stove on medium heat

Wait 30 seconds to 1 minute, allowing the curry to cook in the oil, then add meat and vegetables to pot along with 1 Tablespoon of curry.

Mix chicken and vegetables with curry and then cover the pot.  Cook for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is tender, mixing occasionally every 10 minutes.

Dumplings:

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a microwave for about 1 minute and immediately add milk when the butter is fully melted.  Allow the butter and milk to cool to room temperature, then add to flour mixture

Add cold water in ¼ cup increments.  Do not add more than 1 cup of water to the mixture.

After adding water, begin to mix the dough with your hands (you know when you are done when the dough does not stick to your hand).

If after adding up to 1 cup of water and the dough is still sticking to your hands, begin to add flour in 3 Tablespoon increments.  Knead the dough repeatedly until the dough is not sticking to your hands. 

Add 2 Tablespoons of oil to a skillet over medium heat

Scoop tablespoon sized dough balls from the large dough mixture and place on a plate.  Roll balls into about the size of a ping-pong ball.  Flatten the balls with your fingers to be about 1-inch thick circles.  Once flatten, with your thumb, lightly press into the middle of the circles to cause an indentation

Place dough dumplings into the skillet. 

Let it cook for 3-4 minutes on one side and then flip.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side or until both sides are golden brown.

Place fried dumplings in a medium bowl lined with paper towels to soak up any additional oil on the fried dumplings.