Chicken Dumplings (Russian style, known as Pelmeni in Russia)
serves 4

Ingredients:
For dough
1. 2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1/4 cup water
3. 1 large egg
4. 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
5. salt to taste

For filling
1. 1/2 lbs ground chicken
2. 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
3. 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
4. salt to taste
5. 3 sticks celery
6. 1 tsp cayenne pepper
7. 1 tbsp lemon juice

* 2-3 cups water to cook dumplings

Method:
1. Combine flour, egg, oil, water and salt and knead into a soft, elastic dough. If dough is too sticky add more flour, it too stiff add oil.
2. Set aside to prepare filling.
3. Chop celery sticks finely.
4. Combine all the rest of the ingredients for the filling in a mixing bowl and add the chopped celery.
5. Mix until even and set filling aside.
6. Divide dough into roughly 8 portions.
7. Cover the surface of the counter with flour (so dough does not stick) and flatten dough using a rolling pin to form a thin layer.
8.using a sharp edged circular bowl, invert, press and cut the flattened dough into as many cutouts as possible.
9. Using a spoon fill the cutout surface with filling, enough so the cutout can be folded into a half moon shape comfortably.
10. Fold cutout into a half moon shape and seal the periphery by pinching.
11. Repeat steps 7 t0 10 for the rest of the dough.
12. Boil 2-3 cups water in a pan and add the dumplings to it.
13. Cook for approx 5-6 minutes or until the filled meat is visibly cooked through the surface of the dumpling.
14. Serve hot with sour cream or lowfat yogurt.

Substitutions: Mushroom for celery, pork or lean ground beef for chicken.