This recipe for Curried Beef Dumplings is from Carla Hall’s brand new book, Cooking with Love. Carla is a co-host on ABC’s The Chew and a “Fan Favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef All Stars.

What I love about this recipe is that it’s sort of a cross between steamed sui mai (dim sum dumpling) and pan-fried potstickers. It’s the best of both worlds! The beautiful fluted, flowery shape of the dumpling wrapper gives you a peek of the beef and curry filling. But they are pan fried so you get the nice crisp, browned bottom.

The curry spice used in these dumplings is mild (but feel free to use a spicer version). Yellow curry powder is made up of an array of spices: coriander, cumin, turmeric, chiles, mustard seeds, etc.  You can make your own or buy either mild or spice at the Spice House.

Yellow curry powder is mostly associated with Indian cooking here in America, but did you know that it’s used throughout Asia? Curry is simply a term for spice blend. The actual ingredients in yellow curry powder may vary a bit, but the powder is a main ingredient in Singapore Rice Noodle Stir Fry (a recipe in my new book!), Chinese curry stews and noodle soups.

Mom used make baked puff triangles filled with ground beef and spiced with yellow curry powder (I think she used S&B Curry Powder), so these dumplings remind me of her. At the store, look for “Yellow Curry Powder” or “Madras Curry Powder”.