Muthia Dumplings in Spiced Beef Stew

Gujarati millet-and-spinach dumplings simmered into a coconut-spiced beef, eggplant and pigeon pea stew.

Ingredients

• Dumplings: 1 cup millet flour (bajra), 2 tbsp full-fat yogurt, 1 tsp salt, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 cup chopped fresh spinach, about 1/3 cup water
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp minced garlic

Salt

• 1 lb chuck steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup shelled pigeon peas

Handful of cluster beans (guar)

• 5 small Indian eggplants, sliced
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp coconut cream, to finish
• Fresh lime juice, cilantro and fried green chiles, for serving

Directions

1. Mix all the dumpling ingredients, adding water until a dough forms, and refrigerate.
2. Boil 4 cups water with 1 tsp each ginger and garlic, add the beef and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Melt the ghee in a deep pan and brown the onion, then add the tomatoes and remaining ginger and garlic and fry until the oil separates.
4. Add the cayenne, turmeric, coriander and cumin and cook 1 minute, then add the beef with its cooking liquid.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, pigeon peas, cluster beans, eggplants, spinach and water and bring to a simmer.
6. Roll the chilled dough into cylindrical dumplings (about 1 tbsp each) and gently lower them into the simmering stew without stirring.
7. Cover and simmer 40 minutes; the dumplings will set after about 20 minutes.
8. Adjust seasoning and finish with coconut cream, lime juice and cilantro. Serve with fried green chiles.

Notes

Andrew Zimmern’s muthia - Gujarati steamed-dumpling technique cooked right into a hearty curry stew.