Steaming Soft Momos: The Secret To Perfectly Cooked Delicacies

Momos are a popular snack in India and Tibet. They are dumplings that can be steamed or fried and stuffed with vegetables or meat. This paragraph will discuss how to make momos in a steam cooker. The process is simple and involves three main steps: preparing the dough and filling, shaping the momos, and steaming them. First, make a soft dough with flour, salt, and oil, and let it rest. Next, prepare the filling by chopping and sautéing vegetables with spices. Then, roll out the dough, fill, and shape the momos. Finally, steam them in a steamer basket or plate for about 10-15 minutes.

Prepare the dough

Preparing the dough for momos is a simple process. First, take a large bowl and add the flour of your choice—typically, this is all-purpose flour, but you can also use whole wheat flour or a mix of both. To this, add a teaspoon of oil and salt to taste. Mix these ingredients well.

Next, slowly add water to the mixture and combine until a dough is formed. You can also add a little extra water for kneading, which should be done for a few minutes until the dough is stretchy and smooth. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or towel and leave it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Once the dough has rested, give it a final kneading and divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a cylinder, like a cucumber, and then cut each one into 6 to 7 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball and flatten it into a patty by pressing it between your palms. Cover the patties with a wet cloth or plate to prevent them from drying out.

Now you're ready to roll out the dough and fill your momos!

Chop and cook the vegetables

Chopping and cooking the vegetables is the first step in making momos. The vegetables you will need include cabbage, carrots, French beans, capsicum, spring onions, and garlic. You can also add ginger if you like. Chop all the vegetables finely.

Next, heat some oil in a pan and add the garlic. Sauté for a few seconds before adding the spring onions. Cook the spring onions for about a minute before adding the rest of the vegetables. You can also add ginger at this stage if you are using it. Sauté everything together for 4-5 minutes.

Now it's time to season the vegetables. Add salt to taste, along with black pepper and soy sauce. Give everything a good stir for a minute or two. You can also add chilli sauce or chilli oil if you like your momos spicy. Once everything is well combined, turn off the heat and set the vegetable mixture aside.

Shape the momos

Shaping the momos is an art in itself. To shape your momos, follow these steps:

Firstly, give the dough a final kneading and divide it into two parts. Then, divide each part into small balls. You can decide how big you want your momos to be, but generally, the dough is divided into 6-7 equal portions, which are then shaped into balls.

Next, take one of the dough balls and flatten it into a patty by pressing it between your palms. Cover the flattened dough with a wet cloth or plate to prevent it from drying out.

Now, take one of the patties and roll it out into a thin circle, keeping the edges thin and the centre portion slightly thicker. The circle should be around 4-5 inches in diameter. If needed, sprinkle some dry flour while rolling to prevent sticking.

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of the dough circle. Be careful not to overstuff, as this will make it difficult to seal the momo.

To seal the momo, lift the edges from one side and start pleating. Fold the edge a little inside and then a little outside, alternatively, until you reach the centre. Join the edges together in the centre to seal the momo.

Repeat this process with the remaining dough patties. Keep the prepared momos covered with a wet cloth to prevent them from drying out while you work.

Steam the momos

Now that you've made your momo dough and filling, it's time to steam your momos!

First, grease a steamer plate or any other plate with oil and arrange your momos on the plate, making sure they have space between them. You can also line a plate with a cabbage leaf instead of greasing the surface with oil.

Next, heat 1-2 glasses of water in a steamer or a deep vessel over medium heat. Place the stand in the steamer and put the plate of momos on top. Make sure the momos do not touch the water. Cover the steamer/vessel with a lid and steam for 5-7 minutes over medium heat or until they look cooked and translucent. If you are using a pressure cooker, do not use the whistle. You can also use a bamboo steamer or an instant pot to steam your momos.

To check if your momos are done, remove the lid and touch one. If it doesn't feel sticky, it's cooked. Turn off the heat and remove the momos from the steamer. Enjoy your delicious momos with schezwan sauce or ketchup!

Serve with sauce

Momos are often served with a sauce or chutney. Schezwan sauce or ketchup are common accompaniments to momos, as well as spicy red tomato chilli chutney. If you want to make your momos extra spicy, you can serve them with a spicy chilli oil or sweet soy sauce.

If you want to make your own chutney to accompany your momos, you can make a spicy tomato chutney. This is a popular choice in Nepal and Tibet.

Ingredients:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Tomato
• Chilli
• Oil
• Salt

Method:

• Crush some garlic and add to a tablespoon of hot oil.
• Add ginger and sauté.
• Add tomatoes and chilli.
• Sauté until the mixture is dry and crunchy.
• Season with salt to taste.

Frequently asked questions