• Make the spice blend first: in a spice grinder, combine all the spice blend ingredients. Blend until there are no large pieces remaining. Put this into a small storage container. NOTE that not all of the spices will be used in this recipe!
• Prepare the butter for the dumplings. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a tiny pot or in the microwave (10-15 seconds at a time). Set aside so it can cool.
• Melt the 2 Tbsp butter in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add the celery, carrot, and bell pepper, cooking 8 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add the beer, scraping up all the bits of butter mixture.
• Add spices and stir to coat the veggies.
• Increase the heat to medium-high then add the broth and chicken. Start the dumpling dough (see below) while keeping an eye on the soup.
• As soon as the soup starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then add the dumplings (see below).
• ** NOTE: If skipping dumplings, cook for another 10 minutes (20 total), add peas, then cook another few minutes to thaw them just before serving. (you don't want to skip the dumplings though!)

Make the dumpling dough:

• Start the dumpling dough as soon as the chicken goes into the soup. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Rub or cut in the butter, then the fresh herbs, tossing to distribute evenly. (If you chopped up too many herbs, just toss the extra into the soup)
• Gradually add milk until the mixture comes together in a wet mass.
• Cover until ready to make.

Finish the Soup:

• Scoop out the dumpling dough in pieces about half the size of golf balls. Drop the dumplings into the top of the simmering soup and cover the pot. (they will seem too small, but they will grow a LOT as they cook).
• Allow the dumplings to cook about 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook the other side for 5 minutes.
• Add peas and heat just until they are hot.