You make dumplings about the way you make drip biscuits, but cooking them in steam gives a different look and taste. The rules for producing perfect dumplings are simple. This is all you have to do:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ cup shortening
• 1 cup milk

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Lightly mix in milk with a fork to make a soft dough. Stir as little as possible.
2. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough on top of chicken or meat. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Then cover tightly and simmer another 10 minutes.
3. Drop the soft dough from a spoon onto tender chicken or meat simmering in broth, or stock, not into the broth. Dumplings are delicate and need support while they cook.
4. Cook slowly 10 minutes with the kettle uncovered, then cover and cook 10 minutes longer without lifting the cover. If you have a domed cover, use it, because it helps prevent sogginess.
5. Remove dumplings and chicken or meat to a heated platter and keep warm in the oven while you make the gravy. Spoon some of the gravy over and around the dumplings. Serve the remainder of it in a bowl.

Makes about 12 dumplings.