Dampfnudeln - German Steamed Yeast Dumplings with Mushroom Gravy

Dampfnudeln is a classic German dish made with yeast dough and steamed in water and margarine. Then the dough will turn into fluffy dumplings-bun that are crispy on the bottom, while the surface is still soft from the steaming process and can be enjoyed as a savory or sweet dish.

Dampfnudeln is a favorite eaten in the south of Germany. In Bavaria, it is common to serve soup or gravy with Dampfnudeln as the main dish.

So today I would like to share with you guys how to make German Steamed Yeast Dumplings with Mushroom Gravy. These delicious German steamed dumplings are the perfect recipe for this week's challenge on Hive Top Chef "steamed". I thought this was a pretty fun recipe to make. Its moist, soft, and gravy-beside was delightful. As for my familiar food consumption, I think it is almost like a Chinese steam bun but upgrades to bring out the stuffing inside to outside.

In German words, Dampf means steam while nudeln refers to noodles but they are called German yeast dumplings, which is nothing to do with the noodles at all.  

Talking About Dampfnudeln with Mushroom Sauce

• Firstly, I mix flour, active yeast, soy milk, garlic margarine, salt, sugar, and oil. It’s important to make sure that the yeast is still alive and has not expired yet.

• To make sure that the Dampfnudeln turns out fluffy as the pillow dumplings need to give the dough enough time to rise in the 2 stages, which take about 1 hour in the first stage and 30 minutes in the second stage.

• To make this recipe successful and have a Dampfnudeln with a golden brown crust on the bottom. It's important to use a pan with a thick bottom.

• Also, while steaming the dumplings do not lift the lid to check until they are done. Otherwise, they will not rise beautifully and turn to flat-stone dumplings instead.

• For the mushroom gravy is typically a combination of garlic, onion, carrot, mushrooms, and spring onion that sauté with the garlic margarine. Add flavored with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and tomato puree. I also add the German Nutrition Powder to lift the flavor of my gravy. Then I seasoned it with aromatic herbs like rosemary, sage, and tarragon. Lastly, turn that delicious combination into savory creamy gravy by adding the non-dairy cream.  

One thing that I need to mention here is that many Thai people love to drink soy milk. There are small carts on every street in Thailand selling soy milk in the morning and evening. It is a famous drink at a cheap price which we just pay for 7 Bath ( 0.19 USD) per 1 cup, then we will get fresh and warm soy milk to drink. I will bring this healthy soy milk as the main ingredient for making Dampfnudeln.  

INGREDIENTS FOR DAMPFNUDELN

• 2 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Yeast
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Margarine
• 125 Soy Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil  

INGREDIENTS FOR STEAMING

• 2 Cup Water
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Margarine  

MUSHROOM GRAVY INGREDIENTS

• 300 Gram Mushroom
• 125 Gram Non-Dairy Cream
• 2 Tablespoon German Nutrients Powder
• 1 Onion
• 1/2 Cup Carrot
• 5 Cloves Garlic
• 4 Spring Onion
• 1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Margarine
• 1 Teaspoon Rosemary
• 1 Teaspoon Sage
• 1 Teaspoon Tarragon
• 1 Teaspoon Tomato Puree
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar  

INSTRUCTION

STEP 1 - LUKEWARM MILK FOR ACTIVATE YEAST

Over low heat, bring the soy milk to a slightly warm and turn off the heat.  

Add the sugar to the lukewarm soy milk and keep stirring to dissolve the sugar then add the garlic margarine.  

Keep stirring frequently to melt the garlic margarine. Combine active dry yeast and lukewarm soy milk together in a mixing bowl.  

Let it sit for about 5 minutes.  

STEP 2 - COMBINE THE DRY AND YEAST INGREDIENTS

While waiting until the yeast grows beautifully, then mix salt in a bowl of flour and gently stir them together.  

Add the olive oil to the mixture of flour and combine them roughly with the wooden chopstick.  

Add the mixture of yeast into the mixture of flour.  

Combine them with the wooden chopstick until a sticky dough comes together.  

STEP 3 - KNEAD THE DOUGH

Transfer to a clean floured surface.  

Keep kneading the mixture until everything is well mixed and you can easily form the dough into a ball for about 5 minutes.  

STEP 4 - THE FIRST RISE  

Cover the bowl with the dough with a towel and place it in a pot in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes.  

Once the dough has already increased in double size.  

Spread a tablespoon of flour into the clean floured surface, punch down the dough and knead for 1 minute to smooth it out. Roll the dough into a big ball shape. Divide the dough into 4 equal ball sizes with a sharp knife.  

Then roll each of the balls out into the ball, then cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.  

While setting the dough aside, bring out the thick pan and grease the surface of the thick pan with garlic margarine.  

STEP 5 - THE SECOND RISED

Gently place the dough in the grease thick pan.  

Cover with the lid and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes inside the thick pan.  

STEP 6 - PREPARE THE VEGGIES

• Peel off the garlic and onion skin. Then slice the thin slice and chop the garlic into small pieces.
• Cut the carrots into small cubes.
• Remove any outer layers of the spring onions that look bad or dirty, and chop the spring onions into small pieces.
• Sliced the mushrooms into equal pieces and set all the veggies aside.  

STEP 7 - MAKING THE MUSHROOM GRAVY

Heat the saucepan over medium heat and add garlic margarine.  

Add garlic, then whisk until the smallest pieces of garlic start to turn dizzying. Then follow with onion to the saucepan. Sauté them and keep stirring for about 2 minutes.  

Once garlic and onion are cooked and translucent, then add the carrots. Stir them all together and let all the ingredients sit without stirring for about 2-3 minutes.  

Add the mushroom into the saucepan and stir to combine.  

STEP 8 - SEASON THE MUSHROOM GRAVY

Add Himalayan Salt, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, and Tomato Puree into the saucepan.  

Continue whisk by using the wooden stirring spoon to combine all the ingredients together.  

Once all the ingredients are well combined, then add the non-dairy whip cream into the saucepan.  

Add the Organic Seasoning Nutrition Powder, Balsamic Vinegar, and Spring Onion into the saucepan.  

Mix them all and keep stirring occasionally. Then let all the ingredients continuously simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat.  

STEP 8 - STEAM THE DUMPLINGS

Heat the thick pan with the yeast dough over high heat.  

Once the margarine gets sizzling then pour in 2 cups of water.  

Bring the water to boil over high heat.  

Once the water for steaming is boiled and lid on the saucepan. Once the lid is on, then lower the heat and don’t lift it again until the dumplings are done. Otherwise, they might be flat and not fluffy. And steam them for 20 more minutes. It’s great and useful if using a pan with a glass lid since easily see what happens inside the pan. That can be very helpful.  

When the dumplings are done, be careful when removing the lid and make sure that the water droplets on the lid don’t hit the dumplings by just moving the pan to one side that can avoid the water drop on the dumplings.  

Turn off the heat and open the lid.  

Using the wooden turner lift up the dumplings from the pan and obviously see the bottom is crushed and crispy.  

STEP 9 - PLATTER

Serve the dumplings right away. As mentioned, I like them with my delicious mushroom gravy.  

Dampfnudeln can be enjoyed savory or sweet. Savory is best with gravy and mushrooms and I always store the leftover and served them as the Sweet Dampfnudeln with homemade vanilla sauce at the next meal.  

Thanks for reading my post and hope you enjoy.