Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, and water in large saucepan. Heat to boiling. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth. Skim fat from broth. Measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid. Add cornstarch to 1 cup of cooled broth and mix by shaking vigorously in jar with tight-fitting lid. Pour mix into saucepan with remaining broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid comes to boil and is thickened. Add basil, peas, and reserved vegetables to sauce. Stir to combine. Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.

To prepare dumplings: Put cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into large mixing bowl. Mix milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft. Drop by full tablespoons on top of stew. Cover saucepan tightly. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to simmering, and steam for about 20 minutes. Do not lift cover.