Stew: Peel and dice onions and carrots; wash and dice celery. Heat cooking oil in a saucepan; add meat and brown until golden brown on all sides. Remove meat as soon as it has browned, then add corn starch to the pan and brown that also. Add stock and stir until boiling; add meat and prepared vegetables. Season to taste and cook very slowly for 2 hours.
Dumplings: When stew is almost done, sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add milk and stir until combined. Pull off 2-inch pieces of dough and drop into the boiling stew. Cook 10 minutes without removing the lid from the saucepan.