Recipe: Smoky Butternut squash stew with chickpea dumplings
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This flavoursome recipe comes to Khoollect from Ruby Tandoh’s new cookbook Flavour: eat what you love. This is how Ruby described her dumpling recipe:
‘It’s totally meat-free, but this hearty stew – laden with vegetables, smoky rich and topped with sticky chickpea dumplings – couldn’t feel further from a vegetarian compromise. The earthiness of the cumin-laced dumplings sits perfectly alongside the autumnal flavours in the stew, but if you want a more traditional topping, just lose the mashed chickpeas in the dumpling mix, add a dash more flour and adjust the water accordingly.’
Smoky Butternut squash stew with chickpea dumplings
Heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat, then add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes, until they’re softened and translucent.
Add the garlic, harissa and spices and cook for 2 minutes before throwing in the carrots and butternut squash. Put a lid on the pan, make sure the heat’s reasonably low and let the vegetables sweat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Once the vegetables have begun to steam, tip in the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and enough vegetable stock to comfortably cover the veg, bring to a simmer then cook with the lid off for 20 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
While the stew cooks, prepare the dumpling mix. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork until no whole ones are left. Toss through the flour, suet, baking powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt and parsley. Add enough cold water to work the ingredients together to a firm, slightly sticky dough.
Once the stew has had a chance to reduce, season it. Divide the dumpling dough into 10–12 balls and sit them on top of the simmering stew. Put the lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes, until the dumplings are spongy, the vegetables tender and the sauce rich and smooth.
Heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat, then add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes, until they’re softened and translucent.
Add the garlic, harissa and spices and cook for 2 minutes before throwing in the carrots and butternut squash. Put a lid on the pan, make sure the heat’s reasonably low and let the vegetables sweat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Once the vegetables have begun to steam, tip in the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and enough vegetable stock to comfortably cover the veg, bring to a simmer then cook with the lid off for 20 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
While the stew cooks, prepare the dumpling mix. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork until no whole ones are left. Toss through the flour, suet, baking powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt and parsley. Add enough cold water to work the ingredients together to a firm, slightly sticky dough.
Once the stew has had a chance to reduce, season it. Divide the dumpling dough into 10–12 balls and sit them on top of the simmering stew. Put the lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes, until the dumplings are spongy, the vegetables tender and the sauce rich and smooth.
This flavoursome recipe comes to Khoollect from Ruby Tandoh’s new cookbook Flavour: eat what you love. This is how Ruby described her dumpling recipe:
‘It’s totally meat-free, but this hearty stew – laden with vegetables, smoky rich and topped with sticky chickpea dumplings – couldn’t feel further from a vegetarian compromise. The earthiness of the cumin-laced dumplings sits perfectly alongside the autumnal flavours in the stew, but if you want a more traditional topping, just lose the mashed chickpeas in the dumpling mix, add a dash more flour and adjust the water accordingly.’
Smoky Butternut squash stew with chickpea dumplings
Heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat, then add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes, until they’re softened and translucent.
Add the garlic, harissa and spices and cook for 2 minutes before throwing in the carrots and butternut squash. Put a lid on the pan, make sure the heat’s reasonably low and let the vegetables sweat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Once the vegetables have begun to steam, tip in the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and enough vegetable stock to comfortably cover the veg, bring to a simmer then cook with the lid off for 20 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
While the stew cooks, prepare the dumpling mix. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork until no whole ones are left. Toss through the flour, suet, baking powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt and parsley. Add enough cold water to work the ingredients together to a firm, slightly sticky dough.
Once the stew has had a chance to reduce, season it. Divide the dumpling dough into 10–12 balls and sit them on top of the simmering stew. Put the lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes, until the dumplings are spongy, the vegetables tender and the sauce rich and smooth.
I made this but put the dish in the oven at 200C for 25 mins when I had just put the dumplings on top. I like my dumplings crispy & this was perfect! Also added an old courgette and a leek to the stew to use them up very versatile!
Hi Nicki, What great ideas! Thanks for sharing.