Passport & Plate - giving momos a chance
Nepal | Wednesday, February 4, 2015 | 4 photos
INGREDIENTS for the outer cover
(measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
1 cup all purpose flour/maida
½ tsp oil
¼ tsp salt or as required
2 to 3 tbsp water for kneading or as required
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for the stuffing
1.5 to 1.75 cups finely chopped vegetables (suggested choice: ½ cup chopped cabbage, ½ cup chopped sweet carrots, ⅓ cup chopped french beans or azuki beans and ¼ cup chopped capsicum)
2 small sized spring onions, finely chopped - reserve the greens to be added later
3 to 4 small garlic/lahsun finely chopped
1.5 tsp light soy sauce 1 tsp soy sauce. add as required
½ tsp black pepper or as required
1 tbsp oil
salt as required
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preparing the outer cover of momos:
take the all purpose flour/maida, salt and oil in a bowl and mix it.
add water in parts and knead to a firm dough. cover the dough and keep it resting for about 30 minutes.
for the veg stuffing:
finely chop all the vegetables. you can also use a food processor to chop the vegetables.
heat oil. add garlic. saute for 2-3 seconds.
add onions and saute for 10-15 seconds. add all the finely chopped vegetables.
increase the flame and stir fry the vegetables on high heat.
when the edges starts getting golden, add soy sauce, salt and pepper.
continue to stir fry on high heat till the vegetables are cooked. takes about 8 to 9 mins on a high flame.
later add 1 to 2 tbsp of the spring onions greens and stir fry for a minute.
check the taste and add more salt, pepper or soy sauce, if required.
shaping the veg momos:
divide the dough in two parts. make a 6-7 inch log from each part. cut the log into equal slices.
make ball of each slice and keep them covered with a moist napkin.
take each dough ball and on a lightly dusted board, roll each dough ball into a thin circle of about 2-3 inch diameter.
try to get the edges to be thin and the center to be thick.
place 1 or 2 tsp of vegetable stuffing in the center.
lift one side of the edge and start pleating. (you can also refer to the video above to see how pleating is done).
start folding and forming the pleats one by one. towards the end, join the pleats in the center.
prepare all momos this way and keep them covered under a moist napkin. till you are ready to steam them.
heat water in a steamer or in a electric cooker or in a pressure cooker. let the water come to a boil.
in a greased steamer pan or in idli moulds, place the momos keeping space between them so that they don't touch each other. * check notes on how to steam the momos in idli pan or pressure cooker.
steam momos for 5-6 minutes.
don't overdo the steaming, as the dough becomes dense and dry.
the steaming time may vary upon the thickness of momos' cover.
when you touch the momo then dough should not feel sticky to you. this means they are done and the momos will have a transparent look.
time of cooking momos varies from intensity of the flame and kind of pan and the steamer you are using.
once done, garnish veg momos with spring onion greens.
serve vegetable momos with a spicy sauce like schezwan sauce or tomato-chili sauce or chili sauce.
p.s: you can also serve it with red chilli garlic chutney. momos go very well with a spicy sauce.
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THE STORY BEHIND THE PLATE
The first time i tasted momos, i've just arrived in a little traditional restaurant in my first trip day in Kathmandu, Nepal.
By that time i was veggie, so it was one of a few dishes i could try. The taste is similar to a japanese guioza, which i already knew. But the nepalese atmosphere and the low tables added such a charm to my new experience. I also tried popcorn as entry. I was curious about the story behind momos, then i was told about the himalayan merchants origin of this particular delicacy and the sucess as street food in India. It's definitely an one-of-a-kind dish. It's simple, but it has soul.
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Why should I win 2015 Passport & Plate in Sri Lanka?
When my grandpa died some years ago, I received an amount on my account. After days thinking about what I should do to that money, I choosed I would expend it on travelling, it would be my personal way of getting close to myself. Since that moment, I've found out that travelling should not be a privilege but an exercise, to everybody. Today, all my economy efforts from my work as a copywriter are destined to planning the next trip. Last year i've been in India, Nepal, Portugal, Chile and Netherlands. In all of my trips i've faced magic moments, and I trully believe the magic behind them can be explained by running away from my comfort zone. Trying new stuff, by opening space to uncertainty, I open space to learning. By experiencing discomfort, I'm able to love my house even more. By experiencing distance, I've learned to be closer to the ones I care, by getting in touch with other tastes, smells, landscapes and beliefs, i've learned to stop judging other cultures and opening my mind to new perspectives. In India, i got in touch with new spices and the power of milenar recipes that evoke our senses. In chile, i've tried different types of seafood plates that have the harmony and strength of a Neruda poetry. In portugal i discovered the roots from the culinary of my country, Brazil, that once was portuguese colony.
More than that, I discovered the happiness of being a learner. And i would make every second in Sri lanka worthy to share.
