Steaming Alternatives: Cooking Momos Without A Steamer

Momos are a traditional Tibetan dish that has become synonymous with street food in India. They are steamed or fried dumplings with a minced meat or vegetable filling. While steaming is the most common method of cooking momos, you can also cook them without a steamer by using aluminium foil, a ceramic plate, and a large cooking pot or deep vessel. Here's a simple trick to making delicious momos without a steamer.

Make dough with flour, salt, oil, and water

Making the dough for momos is a straightforward process. To start, you'll need to gather your ingredients: flour, salt, oil, and water. The specific quantities will depend on how many people you're serving. As a rough guide, for four people, you'll need two cups of flour and about ¾ to 1 cup of water. You can adjust this ratio depending on how much dough you need.

Once you have your ingredients, combine the flour, salt, and oil in a large bowl. Mix them together, ensuring they are well incorporated. Then, gradually add the water to the flour mixture. It's important to add the water a little at a time because you may not need all of it. Continue mixing and adding water until the flour mixture becomes moist and starts to stick together.

At this point, you can start kneading the dough by hand. If the dough seems dry, crumbly, or unwilling to stay together, add small amounts of water as needed. Knead the dough until it becomes firm, smooth, and flexible. It should not stick to your hands.

After you've finished kneading, place the dough in a clean bowl or container and cover it with a damp cloth or lid. This step is crucial as it helps retain moisture in the dough and allows the flour to fully absorb the water. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, you can start preparing your filling of choice. Momos can be filled with either meat, vegetables, or cheese. For a detailed guide on preparing various types of fillings, please refer to the sources provided.

Prepare chicken or vegetable filling

Preparing the filling for your momos is a straightforward process. You can choose between chicken or vegetable fillings, and you can also add your own twist to the recipe by including your favourite ingredients.

Chicken Filling

For the chicken filling, you will need chicken mince, spring onions, onions, celery, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, pepper, cornflour and salt. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. You do not need to pre-cook the chicken filling, as it will cook along with the momos as they steam.

Vegetable Filling

For the vegetable filling, you can use a variety of vegetables such as onions, cabbage, carrots, capsicum or bell peppers, mushrooms, corn, and paneer. You will need to cook the vegetable filling before using it. Stir-fry all the ingredients together, and be sure to allow the mixture to cool before placing it inside the wrapper. If you don't pre-cook the vegetables, they will release a lot of water, and your momos will become soggy.

Roll dough into circles, add filling, and shape

Once you've prepared your dough and filling, it's time to assemble your momos. The traditional Tibetan method requires a bit of technical skill, but there is a simpler method you can use to shape your momos.

Rolling the Dough

If using the traditional method, first, divide your dough into four equal sections. Roll each section into a 6-7 inch log, then cut the log into equally-sized slices. Roll the slices into balls and cover them with a damp cloth until you're ready to use them.

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin circle with a diameter of about 2-3 inches. Make sure the centre of the circle is thick and its edges are thin. You may need to press along the edges of the circles to make them thinner than the centre.

If you're short on time, there is a quicker method you can use. Place your dough on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll it out very thinly. Then, use a clean glass that's about the width of your palm to cut circles out of the dough.

Adding the Filling and Shaping

Take your filling out of the fridge. If you rolled your dough by hand, you'll need to place 1-2 teaspoons of filling inside each circle. If you used the glass method, use 1 tablespoon of filling.

To make a round momo, place one of the flattened circles of dough in your less dominant hand. Add the filling to the centre of the dough, then use your thumb and forefinger to pinch together a small piece of the dough's edge into a fold. Without moving your thumb, gather another piece of the edge with your forefinger, fold it, and pull it into your first fold. Work your way around the circle, gathering and pinching the folds together. Finally, pinch together the folds to close the hole at the top.

To make a half-moon momo, place your filling in the centre of the dough. Then, fold the circle in half, covering the filling. Press the edges of the circle together to close the dough. If desired, you can pinch and fold the edges of the dough to create a design.

Cooking the Momos

While steaming is the most common method for cooking momos, you can also pan-fry or deep-fry them. If you don't have a steamer, you can use a large cooking pot or deep vessel with a wide mouth, some aluminium foil, and a ceramic plate to create a makeshift steamer.

Use a frying pan with a steamer basket, or boil in a vessel

If you don't have a steamer, you can use a frying pan with a steamer basket or boil your momos in a vessel. Here's how:

Using a Frying Pan with a Steamer Basket

Firstly, prepare your momo dough and filling as you normally would. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can use the steamer basket from a rice cooker. Place some water in a frying pan and add your momos to the steamer basket. Put the steamer basket on top of the frying pan, cover it with a lid, and steam for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough becomes soft.

Boiling in a Vessel

This method involves boiling your momos in a deep vessel or cooking pot. Start by making three large balls of aluminium foil. Place these balls in your vessel, and then lay a ceramic plate on top of them to ensure it's level. Add water to the vessel and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let the water simmer. Rub some oil on the plate to prevent sticking, and then carefully place your momos on the plate. Cover the vessel with a lid and let them steam for about 15-20 minutes.

Regardless of the method you choose, remember to shape your momos carefully and ensure the edges of the dough are thin, with a thicker centre, to prevent them from breaking. Enjoy your delicious momos!

Steam for 7-15 minutes, or fry to cook

Once you have prepared your momos, you can choose to either steam or fry them. If you want to steam your momos, you can do so without a steamer by following these steps:

• Make three large balls of aluminium foil and place them in a large cooking pot or deep vessel with a wide mouth.
• Place a ceramic plate on top of the aluminium foil balls, ensuring that it is fairly level.
• Add water to the vessel and bring it to a boil. Then, lower the heat and let the water simmer.
• Place the momos on the plate without overcrowding them. Cover the vessel with a lid and let them steam.
• For smaller momos, steam for 5-6 minutes. For larger momos, steam for closer to 10 minutes. Check on the momos occasionally to ensure they are not overcooked.
• Momos are fully cooked when they look transparent and do not feel sticky.

If you prefer to fry your momos, you can pan-fry or deep fry them. To pan-fry:

• Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly coat the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil.
• Carefully place each momo in the pan, ensuring they do not touch each other or the sides of the pan.
• Fry each momo until it is golden brown on both sides.

To deep fry:

• Use a deep pan or a deep fryer and fill it with a generous amount of oil. Allow the oil to get hot.
• Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If it bubbles, the oil is ready.
• Add the momos to the oil and fry them for a few minutes on each side.
• Remove the momos from the oil when they are done and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

Frequently asked questions