The duff dumpling

By Cynthia Nelson

Hi Everyone, Almost every cuisine has a dumpling. They range from sweet to savoury from stuffed to un-stuffed from leavened to unleavened, some are steamed, others boiled and no matter which way they are made, dumplings represent comfort food and are loved the world over. Here in the Caribbean is no exception; in Guyana we also have a dumpling we call duff.

Wait! Wait before you start to object, duff is a kind of dumpling, the difference being that is must contain baking powder and it is traditionally shaped oblong and steamed. To further differentiate, duff is also generally served as an accompaniment to something fried-up such, as salt fish or smoked herring. Unlike many other dumplings, duff is almost never submerged in soup either. On the other hand, the similarities between duff and other dumplings are – it is steamed and the same mixture is used to make dumplings and duff (though there are those who prefer their dumplings without baking powder).

So which dumpling do you prefer? The one that goes into the soup or the duff-like one that gets steamed? I enjoy both depending on my craving. This past week the craving was for the steamed duff. My aunt, Golin, makes the best duff I’ve ever seen or tasted. It’s a pity she is so far away and I can’t get her recipe and advice on how to make this soul food. She is so adept at making duff that hers never flops or drops once removed from the pot in which it was steamed, swelling to plump proportions.

Without my aunt Golin to consult, I chatted instead with another expert duff maker, a Guyanese who also lives here in Barbados. I learnt that the art is in knowing when the duff is finished cooking as overcooking it would result it its deflation once it’s exposed. So how does one know? The answer I got was: “by intuition.”

It is important also not to peek before the duff has risen. All these instructions made me think of cake-baking and the strict instructions that go along with it – right temperature, no peeking, testing etc.
I prefer to cook by intuition but when you have a deadline to meet and limited time, precision is what you’re after; successful accidents are welcome but errors? No way! One should also be focused on the task at hand and not be like me where I was doing three things at once and forget to add baking powder to the flour and so I had to knead a new batch.

Using my bamboo steamer, I set about dividing the kneaded and rested dough, equally and shaping them into balls (I thought they’d look more attractive). I steamed the duff for six minutes, basing the time on how long it takes to cook dumplings when added to a soup. It turns out that six minutes was the magic time, at least for the size and quantity of duff I made (two cups flour yielded five). I am happy to report that my duff, in the words of a friend, “did not shame me.” They swelled and remained that way when served.

I’ve never thought of it before but I think that duff is such a nice alternative to bread or bakes. What I like about them also is that like the dumplings in some cuisines, you can actually cook it again by frying it whole or cut up and sautéed with aromatics.

Dumplings (duff included) are special food and people are rather particular about them. Their consumption of this cooked dough is very personal and often they will only consume it if it is made by a particular person or a particular way. Take for example, my gal pal Susan who grew up eating her mom’s dumplings, which she says are hard and chewy. So one day I made dumplings for her and did not put any baking powder into the mixture. My dumplings came out soft and delicious and only slightly chewy. Through discussion with Susan I learnt that her mom kneaded the dough and immediately added it to the soup. I on the other hand, had let my dough rest for half-hour during which time the gluten developed and the sugar in the dough worked its magic of tenderizing the dough.

Some people also get fussy about the shape of the dumpling; they want it rolled lengthways rather than round (I know I’ll get some flack for my round duff).

Which ever way you like it or will only eat it, I am happy to know that this soul food is still around and being enjoyed. Having said that, when last have you made some dumplings or duff? Why not surprise the family this weekend… or why not surprise yourself?

Cynthia
tastesikehome@gmail.com
www.tasteslikehome.org