Yosemite Chicken Stew With Cornmeal Dumplings (Low Fat)

Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth.

Skim fat from broth; measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid.

Mix cornstarch with 1 cup cooled broth.

Pour into saucepan with remaining broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened.

Add basil, peas, and reserved vegetables to sauce; stir to combine.

Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.

For the dumplings:.

Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Mix together milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients; stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft.

Drop by full tablespoons on top of braised meat or stew. Cover tightly; heat to boiling. Reduce heat (do not lift cover) to simmering and steam about 20 minutes.