Momo
Momo are the steamed dumplings of the Himalayan region — Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and the Indian states of Sikkim and Darjeeling — eaten at any time of day as a snack, street food, or main meal. The form likely arrived through contact with Tibetan and Chinese cuisine; Tibetan immigrants brought their version to Kathmandu in the twentieth century, and from there momo spread rapidly across Nepal. The defining element is the spiced meat filling: ground chicken or pork mixed with onion, ginger, coriander, and cumin, seasoned before wrapping rather than cooked first. The accompanying sauce — charred tomatoes and dried chilli blended with garlic — provides a sharp, smoky heat that contrasts the mild filling. The wrappers are plain flour, thin enough to turn translucent when steamed.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 300 g plain flour (all-purpose), plus extra for dusting
- 150 ml warm water
- 500 g ground chicken or pork
- 1 medium onion (about 120 g), very finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (about 2 cm piece), finely grated
- 30 g fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 4 medium tomatoes (about 400 g), halved
- 2 dried red chillies or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
How to make it
- 1Combine flour and 1/2 tsp of the salt in a bowl, then add warm water a little at a time, mixing until a rough dough forms; knead for 5-6 minutes until smooth, firm, and no longer sticky, then cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- 2In a separate bowl, mix the ground meat, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and oil until well combined; refrigerate for 15 minutes to let the flavours meld.
- 3Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: char the tomato halves and dried chillies in a dry heavy skillet over high heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and blackened in spots, then blend with the garlic and remaining salt until smooth.
- 4Divide the rested dough into 24 equal pieces (about 15 g each) and roll each into a thin round about 8 cm across.
- 5Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of each round, then gather the edges and pleat them together with small overlapping folds, pinching firmly at the top to seal.
- 6Line a bamboo or metal steamer with lightly oiled parchment paper and arrange the momo at least 1 cm apart.
- 7Set over a pot of vigorously boiling water, cover tightly, and steam for 12-15 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and a gently pressed momo springs back without feeling doughy inside.
- 8Serve immediately with the tomato-chilli sauce.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
