Nepali Momo

Momo is one of the most popular food in Nepal. It is a type of dumpling with fillings spiced up with various Nepali spices. This gives Momo a much richer flavour than your regular dumplings.  It is usually served with a special sauce (chutney) or soup.

Wrapper

3 cup All-purpose flour
1 cup water
Pinch of salt



Mix the wrapper ingredients to make a dough. Roll the dough and make circles 6-10 cm across.

Filling

2 lb ground or minced chicken/lamb/pork
1 cup onion (finely chopped)
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon timur (Szechwan pepper)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1 tablespoon garam masala/meat masala/momo masala
3 fresh red chillies (paste)
4 tablespoon ghee or butter
Salt and pepper to taste



Combine all filling ingredients. Mix well, adjust seasoning according to taste.

Packing Wrappers

For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the center, while making pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling.



Closing the meat inside wrapper without leakage is the secret to tasty and juicy dumplings.

Steaming momo

Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well or put cabbage leaves on bottom to prevent dumplings from sticking to rack. Put dumping in steamer. 

Arrange uncooked Momos in the steamer with some space left between the dumplings. Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10-15 min. Use rice cooker steamer if you do not have a momo steamer. Take the dumplings off the steamer, and serve immediately.

Alternatively, you can place uncooked dumplings directly in slightly salted boiling water and cook until done, approximately 10 minutes. You may also slightly sauté cooked dumplings in butter before serving.