Jay Chalam's Kitchen: Tibetan style Momo

Just like people are making bread during lock down, my social media is flooded with people's momo pictures. Momo or dumpling is an Asian dish. These delicious dumplings can be filled with variety of vegetables or meat. They can be fried or steamed, and served with a spicy sauce and sweet peanut sauce. My son always orders them when we go to our favorite Vegan Tibetan restaurant. I made them for the first time couple days ago. It was very time consuming, but was worth the time and effort. The whole family enjoyed it. My husband made a spicy tomato sesame chutney to serve with the momo. I also made a sweet peanut sauce. I adapted the recipe from thecuriouschickpea.com

Ingredients:
2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon oil
3/4 Cup water

2 Cups shredded cabbage
3/4 Cup shredded carrot
1/2 Cup thinly sliced spring onion (scallion)
2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
4 oz extra firm tofu, crumbled
1 teaspoon ground peppercorn
2 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water and 1 tablespoon oil and mix to form dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until you have a smooth pliable dough. Place dough back in the bowl. Cover with a damp towel. Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Place shredded cabbage, carrot, and spring onion in a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine. Leave the mixture for 5 minutes.
3. Squeeze and drain excess water from the vegetable.
4. Add ginger, garlic, cilantro, crumbled tofu, and peppercorn. Gently combine everything. Check for salt and add if required.

4. Divide dough in half. Leave one half under the damp towel in the bowl. Roll out the other half on a lightly floured flat surface into a thin, even disc. Dust with flour as required to keep the disc from sticking to the surface.

5. Use a 4 inch biscuit cutter or a small cup if you do not have a cutter, and cut out 4 inch circles. Leave the circle discs on the surface. Keep them covered with a damp towel or paper towel.

6. Take one disk in your palm. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of the disc.

7. Fold and pinch the dough together to form a round momo. Pinch edge of the circle towards the filling. Use the thumb to hold the fold.

Continue to make folds using your index finger, until you gather them all towards the center.

Seal the top by pinching them together.

8. Repeat process with remaining discs. Arrange the momo on a plate, keeping them covered with a damp towel until ready for steaming.

9. Roll out the second half of the dough under the damp towel into a thin disc. Cut out circles and make momo.

10. Dumplings can either be steam cooked or deep fried. I prefer the steamed version of these dumplings.
Prepare your steamer. You can use a large pot with a steamer insert or a bamboo steamer basket or a pressure cooker. I steamed my dumplings in a pressure pan.
11. Lightly grease the insert to prevent dumplings from sticking. Arrange dumplings in a single layer so that they do not touch each other.

12. Add water to the pressure pan or steaming pot. Place the insert in the cooker. Close with the lid. Steam the dumplings for 5 minutes. Carefully check to see if they are done. They should not be sticky to touch. Remove the insert from the pan. Transfer them to the serving dish. Repeat process with the remaining dumplings.