Momos (Dumplings) with Hot Chutney

Momos, alias dumplings, is a native, traditional Nepali dish but that slowly spread across to places such as Tibet, Bhutan etc mainly the North Eastern parts of India. But now, its famous in many places of India and its slowly catching up in South India as well.

It's similar to the Modhaks that we make during Ganesh Chaturti festival. The difference is mainly in the ingredients and stuffing while both can be either steamed or fried.

Vegetable Momos with Hot Sauce: My First Attempt

Ingredients:

For Momos Outer Cover

• Flour    : 1 cup (200 gms or so)
• Oil       : 1 tspn
• Salt      : to taste 
• Water  : to knead

For Stuffing -- You can have your own choice of vegetables

• Cabbage             : 1/2 - 1 cup shredded finely
• Carrot                 : 1 shredded finely (I had to skip since I didn't have it handy)
• Spring Onions     : 2 full (Instead I used half regular onion)
• Coriander leaves : a handful (Instead of spring onion leaves)
• Shimla Mirch      : 1/2 piece (if its a big one) shredded finely 
• Potato                : Boiled and mashed (optional, typically not used)
• Garlic                 : 1-2 pods finely chopped
• Ginger                : 1" finely chopped
• Pepper Powder  : 1tspn
• Soya Sauce        : 1 tspn
• Sugar                 : 1/2 tspn (optional)
• Salt                    : To taste
• Oil                     : To fry the vegetables

Method:

To make the momos cover / wrapper:

1. In a bowl, mix flour, salt and knead it with water to make it smooth. Ensure it has the right consistency to roll out. End of it mix the oil and knead it smoothly for another couple of minutes.
2. Cover the dough with a damp cloth (mulin kinds) and leave it to rest for 15-20 mts at least.

To make the Stuffing:

Method 1:

1. In a kadai, add a spoon of oil. As it heats up, add garlic and onion. Stir it in moderate flame for a minute. 
2. To this add all vegetables and sugar (if rqd) and stir again in moderate flame. Then, add salt, soya sauce, pepper, and keep stirring. 
3. Finally, add the chopped coriander leaves (preferred is spring onion leaves). Stir for 2 seconds and remove from fire. Allow it to cool

Method 2:

1. In this method, we don't fry the vegetables. We just mix all ingredients mentioned under "Ingredients for Stuffing" and keep them ready. You can skip Soya Sauce if rqd.

To make the vegetable momos:

Electric Cooker Steamer Vessel

1. Make small balls of the dough like you will for puris. Roll it out to thin sheets. (We can make a big roti size and using any sharp circle shaped lid can cut it into small puris). Ensure the final sheets are thin.
2. Place a spoon of the stuffing at the center of each sheet.
3. Fold them to make the momos. It's similar to making the fleets of a saree. I followed a couple of videos on youtube to make the folds. You can refer to : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh5_DuuxHC0. Alternatively, you can fold it like the modhaks as well.
4. In a steamer or electric cooker or pressure cooker, fill water and allow it to boil.  
5. Apply some oil to the steaming plate or idli plates and place the momos such that they don't stick to each other. If you are using the electric cooker, then place these plates within the steamer vessel like the one shown to the right here.
6. When the water boils, place this steaming plate and steam it for 10-15 mts (for Method 2 stuffing) and 10 mts (for Method 1 stuffing). 
7. The right consistency will be the momos will appear transparent.

To make the momos sauce - Hot Tomato Garlic Chutney

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes                 : 4 small (diced)
2. Dried Red Chillies    : 5-6 (as hot as you want the sauce to be)
3. Garlic                       : 2 -3 cloves 
4. Ginger                      : 1" (optional)
5. Vinegar / Lime Juice : 1 tbsp
6. Salt                          : To Taste
7. Sugar                       : 1 tspn

Method:

1. Soak the red chillies in water for some time (30 mts at least)
2. In a pan, saute with just a few drops of oil the diced tomatoes, ginger, garlic (optional step)
3. In a mixer, add the red chillies, ginger, garlic, lime juice / vinegar and grind it well. After a couple of rounds, add the tomatoes and grind. Ensure the seeds of the chillies are well ground. [Alternatively, some grate the tomatoes, grind the remaining contents and mix them in the end]

Note: My Learning

• For Momos Stuffing, I used Method 1 but I feel Method 2 will give you more authentic momos because all ingredients will only be steamed. In Method 1, it becomes a mix of fry and steam.
• For the sauce, I followed another method of soaking the chillies in vinegar. But my suggestion is not to do that because then vinegar's stench and taste overrules the rest. My bad :(
• Momos cover / wrapper should be as thin as possible else it won't cook well.

Momos are best served hot:) Relish it!