CHICKPEA DUMPLINGS IN YOGURT SAUCE

Chickpea Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce image

One of the best vegetarian dishes of India, the chickpea dumpling is the equal of those made of meat without mimicking them, and the yogurt sauce is creamy and delicious. Some people soak the chickpea dumplings in water after frying them, which gives them a lovely and delicate texture; others leave them crisp, adding them to the sauce at the last minute. The choice is yours; I enjoy the crisp version more but happily eat and make both. You can buy chickpea flour and hing (asafetida, page 10) at any store selling Indian ingredients and at many Middle Eastern stores as well. One word about the preparation: Skilled cooks can make the sauce first, then the dumplings, or mix the dumpling batter, then turn to the sauce, then fry the dumplings while the sauce is simmering. The level of activity required to do this is somewhat frenetic, but if you are comfortable with kitchen multitasking, it will work out.

Yield makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

2 cups chickpea flour
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pinch of asafetida (hing)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups yogurt
Oil for deep-frying
1 small dried chile
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon coriander seeds or more ground coriander
1 large onion, sliced
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Steps:

Put 1 cup of the chickpea flour, some salt and pepper, the cayenne, asafetida, 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, the coriander, baking soda, and 1/2 cup of the yogurt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine; scrape the sides of the container if necessary. With the machine running, gradually add warm water, a tablespoon or so at a time, until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Process, stopping to scrape the sides of the container if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and light.
Add at least 2 inches of oil to a pot (a narrow pot will allow you to use less oil, but a broader one will allow you to cook more dumplings at once). Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the oil to about 350°F (a pinch of the chickpea batter will sink about halfway to the bottom before bouncing back up to the top when the oil is ready). Drop in the batter by teaspoons (it's easiest to pick up a bit of the batter with one teaspoon and scrape it off with another). Do not crowd; turn the dumplings once or twice and cook them until nicely browned, just 2 or 3 minutes. As the dumplings finish, transfer them to a bed of paper towels to drain.
Now make the sauce: Combine the remaining chickpea flour and yogurt in a blender with 1 cup warm water; turn on the blender and process until smooth. Combine this mixture in the blender if it is large or in a bowl with another quart of water.
Put 2 tablespoons oil into a saucepan or deep skillet and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the chile, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, coriander, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the yogurt-chickpea flour mixture, along with a large pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. (You can prepare the dish several hours in advance to this point; cover and set aside until you're ready to eat.)
Taste and adjust the sauce's seasoning; it should be mild with a touch of heat and quite fragrant. Fish out the cinnamon stick and the chile (you can eat the other spices). Add the dumplings and re-cover; cook just until they are heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.