Hungarian Plum Dumplings

Plum dumplings are the absolute favorite of my childhood! I’ve always loved it, but I haven’t eaten in over four years. After I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2016 and switched to a whole-food plant-based diet, I discovered so many new ingredients and flavors that I haven't really missed traditional foods. However, on my last family visit, my mother made plum dumplings, and I didn’t want to miss out on it either, so I developed a healthy, 100% whole-food plant-based version, free of sugar, eggs, and white flour.

I made it with oat flour instead of white flour (so it can even be made gluten-free), I used "flaxseed egg" instead of a chicken egg, and I sweetened it with date paste instead of sugar.

It turned out to be sooooo delicious that I literally jumped for joy !! : D I don't even understand how I could live without it for four years! From now on, it will most certainly be a common dish in my kitchen.

Ingredients (approx. 18 big dimplings)

620 g potatoes

160 g oat flour*

1 tbsp ground flax seeds**

3 tbsp water

9-10 plums, cut in halves

10 pitted dates

2 tsp cinnamon

5-6 tbsp whole grain bread crumbs

* Oat flour can be made from oatmeal. Place the oatmeal in a blender and grind into flour.

** You can also make ground flax seeds at home from whole flax seeds in a coffee grinder.

Method

1. For the flax eggs, add the ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of water to a dish and stir. Let rest for a few minutes to thicken.

2. Cut the potatoes into cubes without peeling them and cook in lightly salted water until soft. Drain well, then mash with a potato press and let it cool.

3. In the meantime, we prepare the date paste. Pour just as much water on the pitted dates as it covers, add the cinnamon and blend until creamy.

4. After the potatoes have cooled, add the flax egg and oat flour, and knead a soft - but not sticky - dough from it. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour.

5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and flatten it to a thickness of 0,5 - 1 cm using a rolling pin. Then cut it into 8-10 cm squares with a knife.

6. Place half of a plum on the squares, add one teaspoon of date paste on top of the plum, then seal the edges with your hands and form them into balls.

7. Fill a pot halfway with water, bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and add the dumplings. Once the dumplings come up on top of the water, drain them.

8. Meanwhile, fry the breadcrumbs in a dry pan without oil and roll in the cooked dumplings.