Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on February 24, 2022

Dumplings, which are ubiquitous throughout many cultures, serve much the same purpose as grits and polenta in that they make a soft, easy-to-swallow, and satisfying side dish to accompany any number of savory, saucy dishes. However, dumplings, which are made with flour, water, and salt, tend to be softer and even easier to swallow than grits and polenta, which are made from ground corn (which is coarser than flour).

Depending on the culture, dumplings may have other ingredients as well. For example, Italian dumplings, aka gnocchi, are typically made from mashed potatoes and/or ricotta cheese, in addition to flour. German dumplings, or spaetzle, meanwhile, are smaller than gnocchi and eggier, according to Fox Valley Foodie.

Chinese har gau (or har gow) dumplings are made from a mixture of wheat flour and tapioca starch and are usually formed into thin pancakes and filled with a soft, savory mixture of meats and/or vegetables, per the School of Wok. Still other Chinese dumplings may be made with rice or rice flour, while other Asian cultures will have their own unique take and flavor, too.

The Jewish knaidel dumpling is made from matzo meal rather than flour, and is almost always served in chicken soup (via TIME). Southern cuisine has its own version of dumplings as well, which are typically served with a slow-cooked chicken stew, as they are in this chicken and dumplings recipe.

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Category: Jewish Cuisine
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