Momos

Name: Momos
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup Flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste; 1/2 cup water; 200 grams Chicken, minced; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon Ginger, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon Garlic, finely chopped; 1 medium Onion, finely chopped; 1 small Carrot, grated; 2 tablespoons Spring Onion, chopped; 1 teaspoon black pepper powder; oil, for greasing

Steamed half-moon dumplings — a thin, unleavened wheat dough wrapper filled with minced pork, yak, chicken, or spiced vegetables (cabbage, onion, ginger, garlic, chilli), pleated into tight crescents and steamed in bamboo steamers until the wrapper is translucent and yielding. The Sikkimese momo is the most ubiquitous food in the Himalayan belt; every small shop, roadside stall, and home kitchen in Gangtok makes momos daily. Eaten dipped in a fiery tomato-sesame-chilli achaar that is considered as important as the dumpling itself. The technique of the pleat varies between communities — Tibetan, Sherpa, Bhutia — but the wrapper-to-filling ratio and the quality of the minced pork fat are the constant variables that separate excellent from ordinary momos.

Cuisines

Mizo Sikkimese Arunachali Ladakhi

Best for

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks

Build a full meal around Momos

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 30 min Cook: 20 min Total: 50 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

	1 cup	Flour
	1/4 teaspoon	Salt , to taste
	1/2 cup	Water
	200 grams	Chicken , minced
	1 tablespoon	Soy sauce
	1 teaspoon	Ginger , finely chopped
	1 teaspoon	Garlic , finely chopped
	1 medium	Onion , finely chopped
	1 small	Carrot , grated
	2 tablespoons	Spring Onion , chopped
	1 teaspoon	Black pepper powder
	—	Oil , for greasing

Instructions

1 In a bowl, mix the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add water and knead to form a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.
2 In another bowl, combine minced chicken, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, onion, carrot, spring onions, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to prepare the filling.
3 Divide the dough into small balls. Roll each ball into a thin circle of about 3-4 inches in diameter.
4 Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle.
5 Fold and pleat the edges to seal the momos, forming a crescent or round shape.
6 Grease a steamer with oil and place the momos in it, ensuring they do not touch each other.
7 Steam the momos for 15-20 minutes until the dough is cooked and the filling is hot.
8 Serve hot with a spicy chutney or dipping sauce.

Tips

Ensure the dough is not too sticky or dry to make pleating easier.