Nepalese Recipes: MoMo meat dumplings

MoMoDumplings

Momo's are made with a simple flour-and-water dough,white flour is generally preferred and sometimes a little yeast or baking soda is added to give a more doughy texture to the finished product. 

Introduced from Han China, as Momo is a loanword from the Chinese mómo 馍馍, a type of steamed bun. Momos have become a traditional delicacy inTibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Darjeeling district andLadakh. They are one of the most popular fast foods in many regions of the Indian Subcontinent populated with people of Tibetan, Nepali or other Himalayan origins, and in places with a significant Tibetan and Nepalese diaspora.

There are different varieties of momos, such as fried and steamed momos. Momos are usually served with a dipping sauce normally consisting of tomatoes as the base ingredient, from which numerous variations can be made. Momo soup is a dish that has steamed momos immersed in a meat broth. Momos that are pan fried after steaming first are known as kothey momos. Momo can also be prepared by directly deep frying without steaming first. Steamed momos served in hot sauce is called C-Momo. These are some of the most common items served in Tibetan and Nepalese restaurants. Tibetan dumplings are eaten with a fiery sauce of dried red chilies and a bowl of chicken broth.

Ingredients:

Dumplings

- 4 cups of all- purpose flour

- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

- a little water

- 1 pinch of salt

Filling

- 2lbs of ground meat ( beef, chicken, pork or lamb)

- 1 cup of red onion chopped fine

- 1 plain onion chopped fine

- 1 cup of tomatoes chopped fine

- 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic chopped

- 1 tablespoon of ginger chopped

- 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg ( prefer fresh)

- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

- 1 tablespoon of curry powder

- 3 fresh red chillies chopped fine

- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

- salt and pepper

Step 1:

To make the dough: In a large bowl combine flour, oil, salt and water.
Mix well, knead until the dough becomes homogeneous in texture, about 8-10 minute.
Cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
After the resting period knead well again before making wrappers.

Step 2:

To make your filling: In a large bowl combine all filling ingredients.

Mix well, adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow all ingredients to develop their unique flavours.
This also improves the consistency of the filling.


Step 3:


Give the dough a final knead, now make 1-in dough balls.
Take a ball, roll between your palms to spherical shape, dust working board with dry flour.
On the board gently flatten the ball with your palm to about 2-in circle.
Make a few semi-flattened circles, cover with a bowl.
Use a rolling pin to roll out each flattened circle into a wrapper.
For well executed MOMO's, it is essential that the middle portion of the wrapper be slightly thicker than the edges to ensure the structural integrity of dumplings during packing and steaming.

Step 4:

Hold the edges of the semi-flattened dough with one hand and with the other hand begin rolling the edges of the dough out, swirling a bit at a time.
Continue until the wrapper attains 3-in diameter circular shape.
Repeat with the remaining semi-flattened dough circles.
Cover with bowl to prevent from drying.

Step 5:

For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the centre, making the pleats.
Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling.
This holds the key to good tasting, juicy dumplings.
Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well.
This is critical because it will prevent dumplings from sticking.

Step 6:

Arrange uncooked dumplings in the steamer.
Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Take 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. Be careful not to over boil the dumplings.

Step 7:

You may also slightly sauté cooked dumplings in butter before serving.
To serve, arrange the cooked dumplings (MOMO's) on serving plate with hot tomato achar or any other chutneys as condiment.

Now in Nepal they would say " एञ्जोय योउर माल " which means:

                                                            " Enjoy your meal"

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