Dumpling is a broad classification of a dish. It consists of dough wrapped in stuffing (made from various starch sources) or dough without stuffing. Dough can be based on bread, flour or potatoes, and can be filled with meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fruit or candy. Dumplings can be prepared in many ways, including baking, boiling, frying, slow stewing or steaming, and can be found in many world cuisines.

Banku and kenkey fit the definition of dumplings because they are steamed starch dough. They are made from fermented corn flour. Boil Banku and knead continuously, and boil part of kenkey, then steam corn or banana leaves.

Fu Fu can be called dumpling, but in fact, it is not so. Fufu is made by mashing cooked cassava (common in Ghana) or yam (common in Nigeria) in a mortar with a wooden pestle. You can add plantain or coconut oil. There are several other versions of fufu in Africa and the Caribbean. There are other versions of fufu, which are more suitable for the definition of dumplings. These are most common outside Africa where they originated. It is made by steaming cassava and plantain / coconut oil powder into a thick ball like starch.

Tihlo is made by baking barley flour. It originated in Tigray area of Ethiopia. Now it is also popular in Amhara and further spread to the south.

Souskluitjie is a dumpling found in South Africa. They are steamed sweet dumplings, sometimes made of pure flour, sometimes with some dried fruit or other flavors. They are usually served with a syrup flavored with cinnamon or egg sauce.

There is another kind of dumpling in South Africa, called melkos. The dumplings are made by putting milk (one teaspoon at a time) into a dry flour mixture. Flour is glued to milk to form dumplings, which are then boiled in a mixture of milk and butter. Heat them and sprinkle them with cinnamon.