Inspired by our traditional 'domplines', these Sweet Potato Dumplings are smooth and have a subtle hint of sweetness that goes best with foods with strong flavors.
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Is it just me, or do you also get obsessed with some foods at times? Whenever I discover (or rediscover) a favorite I can't get enough and keep coming up with new ideas based on it. Behold my new Sweet Potato Dumplings!
Like I mentioned in the recipe for dumplings (or domplines, as we call them), it is a dish that I did not grow up with, but I dig the concept. They're like gnocchi, but with a Caribbean flair. And like any type of pasta, there are millions of ways to serve them. I am probably not even exaggerating too much.
I suppose the next step was to start tinkering with the traditional recipe and see what would come up.
Just so you know, I have a notebook in which I jot down these ideas, and sometimes months or even years pass between the first note and the last test of the recipe. This wasn't one of those cases. I happened to have some batatas at hand, and I had to make dinner... test no. 1 was a success, at least for me. But what would the food critics family say?
They did. And they had the leftovers the next day.
About this recipe
So, what's the point of making Sweet Potato Dumplings when the original dumplings are so good? Well, these are also good, really good, in a different way. They are not as chewy as flour dumplings and they have a discreet touch of sweetness, gentle enough not to overpower whatever you serve it with.
I served it with Bacalao, and to my huge surprise, they liked that too! It's like batting a goal, or scoring a knockout. OK, clearly sports are not my thing...
Buen provecho!
Sweet Potato Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ lb [0.23 kg] of batata (Japanese sweet potato)
- Water to boil batata and dumplings , divided
- 1 teaspoon of salt , divided
- 2 tablespoon of butter , at room temperature
- 1 small egg
- ½ cup of flour (may not use all)
- 2 tablespoon oil to grease tray and hands
Instructions
Boil batata: Peel and cut batatas into chunks. Boil in unsalted water until it is very soft (think boiled potato-soft).-
Prepare dough: Mix batata, ½ teaspoon of salt, butter, egg, and ¼ cup of flour in the food processor until you obtain a smooth dough. Remove from the bowl and place it on a clean counter dusted with flour. Knead until you obtain a smooth dough that doesn't stick too much to your hands, if the dough is too wet, work in extra flour by the tablespoon until it is no longer too sticky (it will still be somewhat sticky though). Cover in plastic film and let it rest for 10 minutes.
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Make domplines: Grease a tray where you'll place the finished dumplings, and grease your hands. Make balls 1 inch [2.5 cm] in diameter, then work with the palms of your hands until they are elongated and about ½" [1.5 cm] thick (they'll puff up when boiled).
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Cook the domplines: Once you've finished shaping the dumplings, heat over medium heat 3" of water [10 cm] in a pot large enough to fit all the dumplings with room to spare. Add the remaining salt to the water. When it breaks the boil, carefully lower the dumplings into the water keeping them from touching each other. Once the dumplings start floating, cook for two more minutes. Cut one and test for doneness, boil two more minutes if necessary. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon.
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Serve: Serve right away. My preferred choices for this are either bacalao guisado (with no potato), arenque guisado, or "pica pica" (spicy canned sardines) and a few avocado wedges.
Can you refrigerate or freeze the uncooked dumplings for an easy meal later?
Can you use regular sweet potatoes instead of the recommended Japanese sweet potatoes
Wow, what an interesting recipe, it was tasty!