Tongan Faikakai Coconut Dumpling Curry

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 red chili, sliced
• 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water
• 2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 1 1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a bowl, then stir in about 1/2 cup water, a little at a time, until it comes together as a soft, slightly tacky dough.
2. Knead it briefly, no more than a minute, then cover and rest it for 15 minutes. Over-kneading makes the dumplings tough and rubbery.
3. Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chili, and turmeric for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes until they collapse, then pour in the stock and the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
6. Roll the dough into small balls the size of a walnut and drop them into the simmering curry one at a time, spacing them apart. They swell as they cook.
7. Cover and simmer gently for 15 to 18 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings have puffed and are cooked through with no raw dough at the centre.
8. Keep the curry at a bare simmer, since a hard boil breaks both the dumplings and the coconut milk. Season with lime and salt and serve with the cilantro and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains gluten and coconut.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.