Curd cheese & coriander dumplings in spiced saffron sauce

This saffron-infused saucy dish involves minimal cooking making it convenient for weeknight suppers

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Dumplings:

250g fresh ricotta or similar soft curd cheese

1 free-range egg yolk

2.5ml ( tsp) sea salt

125ml (⅓ cup) finely chopped fresh coriander

40g cake flour (plus extra 60g [⅓ cup] for dredging)

Sauce:

60ml (4 tbsp) butter

2 smallish onions, finely chopped

8-10 saffron threads

15ml (1 tbsp) finely grated fresh ginger

Half a Thai chilli, finely sliced

625ml (2 cups) tomato purée, fresh or canned

Salt, to taste

METHOD

1) Bring a large pot of water to the boil.

2) Mix the dumpling ingredients together to form a soft dough. Roll teaspoons of dough into small, rough balls, handling as little as possible.

Spread the extra flour on a plate and roll the balls lightly through it to coat lightly but evenly.

3) Test one: if it breaks up when dropped in the boiling water, mix a little more flour into the dough. Cook the dumplings until they float. This will take about a minute. Remove one by one with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4) For the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-based pot and gently fry the onion and saffron until the onion is soft. Add ginger, chilli and tomato purée and simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste and add a pinch of sugar if sauce is too spicy or tart.

6) Place the dumplings in the sauce and simmer on low for a few minutes until heated through.

7) Serve with flatbread or rice and yoghurt.