Chickpea Noodle Soup with Herb Dumplings

I realize this dish may seem a bit 'confused' - it's because I was when making it. It's absolutely freezing here lately and I really fancied some dumplings for lunch, and wanted to make a chickpea noodle soup...so, sort of combined the 2 ideas. It works really well although feel free to omit the dumplings as it's hearty enough with the noodles and chickpeas in there, it's just given the choice I would probably put dumplings in everything! 

Chickpea Noodle Soup with Herb Dumplings: serves 2

• 40g carrots, diced small
• 40g celery, diced small
• 40g onion, diced small
• 30g small thin soup noodles
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 litre water
• 2 tsp marigold vegan powder veg stock (try and use this as it has a good, light, chicken noodle quality to it)
• 50g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (flageolet beans are nice too!)
• 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Dumplings:

• 100 grams flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 ½ Tbsp vegetable suet*
• 5 - 6 Tbsp cold water

*Edit - for a non-suet version of these dumplings simply replace the suet with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and use 1/4 cup or 60ml of cold water. Just mix the olive oil with the water and add to the dry ingredients - they turn out just as good!

Mix together the dry ingredients for the dumplings and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium pot and fry the onion, carrots and celery until all soft. Add the water and stock powder, stir well and bring to the boil. Stir in the noodles, chickpeas and parsley, cover and bring back to the boil. 

Mix the cold water or cold water and olive oil to the dumpling mixture and stir until a dough comes together. Transfer to a floured surface and knead a few times then cut into 4 equal size pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. 

When the broth is boiling drop in the dumplings reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. I stirred it a couple of times to make sure the noodles weren't sticking. Ladle into 2 warmed bowls with 2 dumplings each and serve immediately. 

Another version with baby new potatoes instead of beans and a new drop dumpling recipe.

2013 edit - I've tried a new dumpling recipe and have to say I like this one even better! It's even easier as you just drop the batter into the soup. Also, as you can see from this picture, if you happen to be out of chickpeas you can make it without. This time I added some diced baby new potatoes - it's just as good!

New Dumpling Recipe: makes 2 large dumplings (1 each)

• 60g / ½ cup plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ tsp dried mixed herbs

• 20g vegetable suet (2 Tbsp)*

• 4 Tbsp unsweetened soy milk

* For a non-suet version use 1 Tbsp olive oil and reduce the soy milk to 3 Tbsp. They turn out just as good.

Mix together everything except the milk until well blended. Stir in the milk (and olive oil for the non-suet version) and mix well. Drop into the boiling soup then cover, reduce and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

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