4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or lard, cut into pieces
1 egg
1/4cup buttermilk, or more as needed
4ounces queso fresco cheese, crumbled
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
Heat the oven to 250°F. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or 2 on each side, then soak in the boiling water until soft, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the chile. While the chiles soak, trim the beef of excess fat and cut the meat off the bone into 2-inch cubes. Reserve the bone.
Drain the chiles, saving the soaking liquid, and remove and discard the seeds and veins (for a hotter paste, save some of the seeds). Put the chiles and any seeds you’re using in a blender or food processor with the garlic, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Purée until smooth, adding the soaking water a little at a time to help the machine do its work. You want the paste fairly smooth, but not thin.
Put 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chile-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until dark, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and taste and adjust the seasoning.
Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the bone and beef a few pieces at a time to avoid crowding and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes total. As the meat becomes brown, transfer it to a plate and add more to the pot until all the pieces are deeply browned.
Remove all but about 4 tablespoons fat from the pot and lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon masa harina and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beef bone, chile-garlic paste, chile soaking liquid and enough water to total 4 cups, and the coffee and bring to a boil. Return the meat to the pot, and cover. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook for 60 minutes, then stir, and add a little water if the bottom is scorching. Cover and return to the oven, cooking until the meat is very tender, another 30 to 60 minutes.
To make the dumplings, combine the remaining 3/4 cup masa harina, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in the food processor. Pulse a few times to mix, then add the butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of cornmeal. Add the egg and pulse 2 or 3 times more. With the machine running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup buttermilk until the dough just comes together; if your dough hasn’t come together, add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time. Gently shape into 1-inch balls and put them on a greased plate; the dough will be sticky, so you can use 2 spoons to do this. Drape with a towel and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
When the meat is tender, discard the bone, and stir in a little water if the chili looks too thick. Carefully put the dumplings on top of the chili and cover again. Return the pot to the oven and cook until the dumplings are springy to the touch and cooked through (a toothpick inserted should come out clean; for fluffiness don’t undercook), 25 to 30 minutes. To serve, scoop spoonfuls of the chili and dumplings into shallow bowls, and garnish with the queso fresco and cilantro.