Momo (Dumplings) with Dip

Momos, are just great for any meal: be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. But momos are best eaten hot, right from the steamer. Here is my version of Momos both Mutton and Vegetable, with a spicy dip.

Ingredients:

For the Dough Wrapper

Refined flour: 4 cups

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt: ¼ tsp

Water

For the filling - Mutton

Minced mutton meat (alternately, chicken or lamb mince): 500 g

Salt: ¾ tsp

Finely chopped garlic (small): 14

Ginger paste: ½ tsp

Coriander leaves or cilantro (finelychopped): ¼ cup

Soy sauce: ½ tsp

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

White pepper powder: 1 tsp (adjustable)

Finely chopped green chillies (de-seeded): 4

Spring onion greens (finely chopped): ½ cup

Finely chopped onion: ½ cup

For the filling - Vegetable

Cabbage 1 cup

Carrots grated ½ cup

White pepper powder: 1 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies (de-seeded): 4

Spring onion greens (finely chopped): ½ cup

Salt: ½ tsp

Finely chopped garlic (small): 8

Ginger paste: ½ tsp

Coriander leaves or cilantro (finely chopped): handful

Soy sauce: ½ tsp

Method:

Combine flour, oil, salt and water. Knead until the dough is soft and pliable. Cover and keep aside for at least 20 min. Make ping-pong-sized balls out of the dough. Flatten out each of the balls with a rolling pin to make not-too-thin circles. (If you make very thin circles, the momos will tear, as the stuffing is a little juicy.)

For the filling, mix all the ingredients together, except the onions and spring onions. Marinate for atleast 30 min.

Add 3 tbsp oil to the wok and when it is hot, add the Onions. Sauté briefly and add the marinated meat. Cook for 5 min. Cover for 3 more min.

For the vegetable, add all the veggies and saute till almost cooked.

When you open the lid, you will see some water coming out of the meat. Switch the gas off and strain the liquid, ensuring that a little amount of liquid is still left in the meat stuffing. We can use this liquid for making the Momo Dip.

Take 1 tbsp of the meat stuffing and put it into one of the flour circles. Seal it.

Oil the steamer slightly and place the momos one by one. Cover and let it cook for 7 minutes flat.

Momos are ready. Remove carefully, so that the wrappers don’t tear.

Momo Dip:

Roast two large tomatoes until charred. Remove the skin and reserve the tomato flesh. In a pan, toast 3/4 cup sesame seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 tbsp mustard seeds carefully under low flame. Grind these seeds into a powder. Now blend roasted tomatoes, take the mutton broth (obtained from the momo stuffing), sweet chilli-garlic sauce and dark soy sauce, ½ cup chopped cilantro, five fresh and red chilies, 3 tbsp lime juice, and salt. Add the ground seed powder, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tsp white pepper powder and a pinch of asafoetida and process in the blender till you get a smooth mixture.

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