Make chef Dwight Smith's go-to recipe for light, crispy festival
These golden-brown dumplings come together quickly using a simple cornmeal-based dough
Crispy and golden-brown on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, festival are a staple in Jamaican cuisine for a reason. And luckily, these delicious fried dumplings couldn't be easier to make. Just combine a few common pantry ingredients to create a simple cornmeal dough, then fry them up for a side dish that goes with just about anything.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 L vegetable oil
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking soda. Mix the butter into the dry ingredients with fingers until just combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the water and vanilla extract. Slowly add the mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing with fingers until a dough starts to form.
On a well-floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Once the dough is ready, pinch off small, even pieces and roll them between your fingers to form tapered logs. (The size is up to you; just be sure to keep the length and diameter consistent so that they cook evenly.)
Meanwhile, set a medium pot over medium-high heat and fill with oil until the pot is about two-thirds full. Heat the oil to 350 F.
Working in small batches, carefully add the festival to the pot and fry until they turn a deep golden-brown and start to float, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the festival to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Makes around 12 (3-inch long, ½-inch wide) dumplings
Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.
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