Kooba (Dumplings) Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1/2 cup semolina
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tbsp minced chicken
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water

Filling:

• 1/2 lb minced chicken or meat
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp fresh garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp ginger, ground
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 bunch parsley or coriander leaves, chopped

Stew:

• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 tbsp tomato paste
• Small bunch chopped celery leaves
• Small bunch flat-leafed parsley or coriander, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 lb small young okra

Directions:

1. Dough: Mix semolina, rice flour, minced chicken and salt in a bowl. Keep adding water until it forms a moist pliable dough. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

2. Filling: Chop onion, add salt, and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze well and mix with rest of ingredients.

3. Divide dough into 20 small balls - hands must be kept moist during this process. Flatten each ball and place a ball of filling on the flattened dough, shaping the dough around the filling to form a ball.

4. Stew: In a large saucepan, fry the onion until brown. Add the garlic and fry until it just begins to brown. Add all the other ingredients and enough water to cover the dumplings when they are added. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Drop the dumplings in very gently. The dumplings remain submerged until they are cooked. When they are cooked they will float to the top (about 25 minutes). If they are stuck to the bottom or sides of the pan, ease them away very gently.

Tips: Instead of okra you can use eggplant, zucchini, or yellow pumpkin. Also, a 14 oz tin of peeled tomatoes may be used instead of the tomato paste.