In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent and soft, about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, cinnamon, and diced green chilis.
Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant.
Pour in the cooked tomatoes with their liquid, the cubed winter squash, salt, and water.
Stir everything together to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 1 hour, allowing the flavors to meld and the squash to become tender.
While the stew is simmering, prepare your dumpling batter according to the recipe .
After an hour, stir the sliced zucchini, chopped cilantro, and sugar into the stew.
Let it cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, just until the zucchini is tender-crisp.
Drop the dumpling batter by the teaspoonful onto the surface of the simmering stew, leaving a little space between each one.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and continue to simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes without peeking. The dumplings will steam and become light and fluffy.
Serve hot.
Don't overcrowd the dumplings. Leave a little space between each one as they will expand significantly as they steam.
