Ingredients
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1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
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1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
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1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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black pepper
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1 pinch ground cloves
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1 bay leaf
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3 cups water
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1 teaspoon cornstarch
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1 teaspoon dried basil
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1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
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1 cup yellow cornmeal
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3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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Instructions
- Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour or until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth.
- Skim fat from broth; measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid.
- Mix cornstarch with 1 cup cooled broth.
- Pour into saucepan with remaining broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened.
- Add basil, peas, and reserved vegetables to sauce; stir to combine.
- Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.
- For the dumplings:
- Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix together milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients; stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft.
- Drop by full tablespoons on top of braised meat or stew. Cover tightly; heat to boiling. Reduce heat (do not lift cover) to simmering and steam about 20 minutes.