Momo more, please!

One of the most popular dishes in Nepal, momo is a type of dumpling made with all-purpose flour and filled with either meat or vegetables. It is so well-loved that nearly every restaurant in Nepal serves it and now you can have a go at it yourself by following this recipe.

Ingredients

• 500 gm of minced meat
• 1 grated onion
• Some finely chopped coriander
• 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste each
• Half a tablespoon of coriander powder
• Half a tablespoon of turmeric
• Half a tablespoon of cumin powder
• 2 tablespoons of grated chilli
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 1 kg of flour

Method

Preparing the fillings:

1. Add 1 grated onion to the minced meat.
2. Add half a tablespoon of turmeric powder. This is to add a bit of colour to the meat.
3. To enhance the flavour of the filling add 2 tablespoons of salt.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of grated chilli. You can add a bit more if you want the momos to be spicy.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste each.
6. Add half a tablespoon of coriander powder to make the filling taste a bit sour.
7. Mix the spices with the meat.
8. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and mix it again. The oil prevents the filling from getting too dry (Nepalese love momo with juicy fillings).
9. Add finely chopped coriander.
10. Mix them well.

Making the momo wrappers:

1. Making wrappers is easier than making the fillings or even the cooking part and it’s fun too!
2. Put the flour into a bowl.
3. Add water a little at a time to the flour to make dough.
4. Knead the dough for a few more minutes. This makes the dough easier to use.
5. Pinch off a bit of the dough (the amount depends on how big you want the wrapping to be).
6. With a rolling pin roll the dough as thin as possible into circular shapes (don’t make them too thin or too thick) the size of a glass.

Cooking the momos:

1. Put around one tablespoon of the filling into the centre of the wrapping.
2. Pinch one edge of the wrapping to the other edge then twist it.
3. Keep doing this until the filling is covered (make sure the wrapping fully covers the filling otherwise the momos may break when steamed).
4. Oil the bottom of the steamer. This prevents the momos from sticking.
5. Put the momos in a systematic order so that they don’t touch each other.
6. Steam for 20 – 30 mins.

After steaming, your momos are now ready to be served! Fresh momos taste the best, so have a few while you’re still waiting for others.

Courtesy of Tribikram Khaniya!Look out for more delicious dishes created by students on Sanctuary Social.