Momo
Steamed dumplings filled with spiced ground meat or vegetables, served with tangy tomato chutney.
MeatVegetarian-optional
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Dairy, Sesame. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: In the Kathmandu Valley and among Tibetan communities specifically, some cooks add a pinch of ground Sichuan pepper/timur directly into the filling rather than reserving it for the achar — both placements are authentic, it's a household preference.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- 3/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 300g ground chicken or pork (or finely chopped cabbage, carrot, and paneer for vegetarian)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, 1.5 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp oil, worked into the filling
- 2 tbsp water, worked into the filling
- 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground, optional
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tomatoes, roasted
- 1 dried red chili, roasted
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted and ground
- 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ginger (for achar)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Steps
- Knead flour, salt, and water into a smooth, firm (not soft) dough; rest covered for 20-30 minutes.
- Mix ground meat (or vegetables) with onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, timur if using, and salt. Work in the oil and water by hand until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly sticky — this keeps the filling juicy after steaming.
- Divide dough into small balls, roll each into a thin circle, slightly thicker in the center than at the edges.
- Place a spoonful of filling in the center; pleat the edges around the filling in small overlapping folds, twisting to seal into a closed pouch or half-moon shape.
- Arrange momo in an oiled steamer basket, leaving space between each; steam for 12-15 minutes until the wrapper is translucent and the filling is cooked through.
- For the achar: blend roasted tomatoes, roasted dried chili, toasted ground sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and lemon juice into a coarse-smooth paste; season with salt.
- Serve momo hot with the tomato-sesame achar alongside.