Dumplings are simple, comforting, and versatile. You can put them in soups and stews. They particularly taste wonderful on a cold winter evening. Dumplings are super easy to make, and they require only two simple ingredients, i.e., flour and water. So, if you are wondering how to make dumplings with flour and water? Read ahead to find out!

Table of Contents

What are dumplings?

You probably immediately think of Chinese food when you hear the word dumpling. You might think of a savory dish filled with delicious meat or any other filling. Most people would think of a single dish; however, the dumpling is a term used to define a wide range of dishes. A dumpling can be a lot of things. It can be savory or sweet. You can also enjoy dumplings as an appetizer, main course, or side.

Most people love dumplings because the thin disc of dough has a rich, meaty, or vegan filling inside. These can either be steamed, boiled, or sautéed. However, you can also serve dumplings without any filling. These can be steamed or cooked in boiling water and are a great side dish with your main course or soups.

Most people associate dumplings with Chinese cuisine and therefore assume that the dish originated there. This might be the case, but the thing is, the dish is so old that there is no clear evidence of the person or the situation under which these came into being. Whatever the story, we are glad we have this amazing and versatile dish to comfort us!

How are dumplings made?

Dumplings can be made using a variety of ingredients like flour, eggs, or even potatoes. In fact, depending on the ingredients, they are usually called by different names. Some are mere blobs of dough cooked in water or steamed, while others are thin dough wraps holding a delicious filling inside.

Among the name types of dumplings, the easiest way to make a perfect dumpling is by using two simple ingredients i.e.

Flour: The main ingredient you need to make the perfect dumplings is all-purpose flour. It is usually always available in every kitchen pantry and is a staple. Now, if you don’t have all-purpose flour, you can also use bread flour. It works just as well. Some people try to use whole wheat flour, but I don’t recommend it. It won’t give you the same results.
Water: The next main ingredient used to make dumplings is water. You will need water to knead the dough. Most people use very cold water or hot water for kneading the dough. But honestly, I believe water at room temperature works best.
Additional ingredients: You can add salt to give your dumplings a savory flavor. You can add butter or oil to make them soft and fluffy. You can also add spices, herbs, or seasonings to bring in more flavor.

Ways of serving dumplings

There are so many ways you can make and serve dumplings. If you make dumplings using this recipe, you can cook them in soup or stew. As the dumplings fluff up, they soak in the flavor from the liquid. You can also cook them separately in boiling water or even steam them. You can serve these dumplings with sauce, chili, curries, etc.

Tips to Remember

Here are a few tips that will help you get perfect results:

You can mix and knead the dough by hand or use a food processor to save time and energy.
You can replace butter with olive oil.
Although there is no need to add baking powder to all-purpose flour, you can add a dash of baking powder if you feel like it. It will just make the dumplings airy.
The stickier the dough is, the fluffier the dumplings will be.
You can make the dough in advance and let it rest in the refrigerator for up to a day. You can store the leftover cooked dumplings for up to a day.