How to Make Momo (with Pictures)

2025 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-24 13:28

Momo is a food native to Tibet and Nepal. It can be steamed or used to make fried dumplings with minced meat or vegetables. It is served piping hot and is often accompanied by a spicy tomato sauce.

Ingrediants

Dough

• 500 grams of flour 00
• Waterfall

Stuffed with Meat

• 500 grams of minced meat (buffalo and yak are traditional meats, but beef or pork, lamb or even a mix of meats are fine)
• 100 gr of finely chopped onion
• 100 gr of finely sliced cabbage
• A clove of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of fresh peppercorns
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 fresh, chopped red chillies (optional)
• Salt to taste.

Vegetarian stuffing

• 500 gr of finely chopped cabbage
• 500 gr of diced tofu
• 250 gr of mushrooms (the shiitake or portobello variety are excellent)
• 100 gr of finely chopped onion
• 50 gr of chopped coriander
• A minced clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of restricted vegetable broth
• Half a teaspoon of black peppercorns
• A pinch of Timur (Sichuan pepper)
• A pinch of turmeric
• A pinch of cinnamon
• 3 fresh red chillies, chopped (optional)
• Salt to taste.

Sauce

• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper (capsicum)
• 3 green chillies
• 50 gr of chopped coriander
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• A pinch of black peppercorns
• Salt to taste.

Steps

Part 1 of 6: Prepare the sauce

Step 1. Roast the tomatoes, bell peppers and chillies by placing them over a high heat or by cutting them in half and placing them under the grill, until the skin turns dark and peels off

Step 2. Put all the sauce ingredients in a blender and whisk it to get a smooth mixture

Add water if necessary.

Step 3. Place the sauce in the fridge until the momo are ready to serve

Part 2 of 6: Prepare the Filling

Step 1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, preferably with your hands

Step 2. Store the filling in the fridge until ready to use

Part 3 of 6: Prepare the dough

Step 1. Pour the flour onto a large, clean work surface

Step 2. Make a hole in the mound of flour and add about 110ml of water

Step 3. Work the flour very well by hand with water until you get a ball that no longer sticks

Step 4. Work the dough for a long time to make it smooth and elastic

Part 4 of 6: Prepare the Wrappers

Step 1. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it reaches a thickness of 3 mm

Use a 5 cm diameter pastry cutter (or a glass cup) to make discs.

Step 2. Take each disk of dough and make a ball of it

Then flatten it with a rolling pin to obtain a kind of flatbread.

Part 5 of 6: Prepare the Momo

Step 1. For round momo:

1. Hold a "piadina" of pasta in your left hand, add a spoonful of filling right in the middle..

   

2. With your right hand close the piadina by joining the edges together. Just bend them slightly with your thumb and forefinger.

3. Continue to seal the edges along the entire circumference of the “piadina”, keeping your thumb still. Use your index finger to grab the part of the dough and "pinch" it at the first fold. Basically you have to close all the edge of the momo towards a single point.

   

4. Continue closing the momo until you have reached the starting point and close the last section of pasta. Make sure it is well sealed by also closing the hole that remains at the top.

   

   Step 2. For half moon momo:

   1. Put a "piadina" in your left hand and add a spoonful of filling in the center.

      

   2. Fold the momo in half covering the filling.

      

   3. Pinch the edges of the half moon to completely seal the momo and not let the filling out. This is the basic crescent shape. You can try different techniques to close the momo and make them look better.

      

      Part 6 of 6: Cook the Momo

      Step 1. Steamed:

      1. Boil the water in a large steaming pot.

         

      2. Lightly grease the basket with vegetable oil to prevent the momo from sticking.

         

      3. Place the momo in the steamer basket making sure they do not touch each other and that they do not come into contact with the edges of the basket.

         

      4. Cook the momo for 10 minutes.

         

         Step 2. Fried:

         1. Heat a skillet over medium heat.

            

         2. Add a little vegetable oil.

            

         3. Carefully put the momo in the pot, making sure that they do not touch the edges of the pan or that they come into contact with each other.

            

         4. Fry until golden brown.

            

         5. Put a tablespoon of water in the pot and cover it immediately to finish with steaming.

            

            

            Step 3. Serve them immediately after cooking, they are much tastier if still hot

            You can pour the sauce over the momo, or serve it on the side for dipping.

            

            Step 4. Finished

            Advice

            • Do not let the dough dry out, or it will be difficult to shape it.
            • Make sure you use a non-stick surface or a damp cloth or lid to keep the momo moist while you prepare and before cooking. You can place them on a previously greased steaming basket and then cover them, or place them on a sheet of parchment paper and cover them with a damp cloth.
            • Momo are usually the size of a mouthful. They can be very juicy on the inside, so be careful when biting them.