In recent years, a new snack called Momo has got popularity in Bangladesh for its unique look and yummy flavor. Momo is one of the most special dishes in Nepalese cuisine. Nepali Momo is a type of boiling dumpling. Let’s take a look at the history of Momo. We shall also share the 5 best Nepali Momo recipes to try at home. 

History of Momo At a Glance 

Besides Nepal, Momo is a customary delicacy in many countries worldwide including Tibet, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and India. 

However, its still a mystery where it got its name. However, the Newar Community of Nepal believes that the method of cooking Momo has come from Tibet. 

Newari people were accustomed to traveling to Tibet for trade which might be the reason behind the origin of Momo in Nepal. Another reason might be the use of Tibetan ingredients in Momo including local vegetables, spices, buffalo meat, chicken meat, or goat meat.

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How To Cook Momo?

Nepali Momo is made with a filling of vegetables or meat mixed with a combination of ground coriander, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and chili. 

You can prepare momo easily at home as it doesn’t need any special ingredients. All the ingredients you require to prepare momo are available in your kitchen. But you need to have a special appliance to prepare Momo that is called Dumpling Steamer.

Another thing you need to prepare or cook Momos is an easy and fun way that is a helping hand to help you with cooking in the kitchen. With the help of more hands, you can prepare several dumplings fastly and quickly. 

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5 Nepali Momo Recipes to Try at Home

Chicken Momo

Ingredients of Stuffing

200 gm chicken, 1 tsp soy Sauce, ¼ tsp Salt, 2 tsp Green Chilies, ½ tsp Ginger Paste, ½ tsp Garlic Paste, 2 tbsp Chopped Onion, ½ tsp Cooking Oil, ½ tsp Black Pepper

Ingredients of Wrap

1 cup Flour, ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Oil, 1/3 cup water 

Instructions:

First, mince the chicken nicely using a food processor. Then take a large bowl and mix chicken with soy sauce, salt, green chilies, ginger paste, garlic paste, onion, and cooking oil. Keep the mixture aside for rest. Next, take another bowl and mix flour with salt and oil.

Add water gently as long as the dough is consistent.  Kneed finely and add little oil and let the dough set for some time. Now divide the dough into some parts and give them a spherical shape until it has a 2.5-inch diameter. Fill each part with the filling and gently seal the wrap using little water and steam for 10-12 minutes. Now, your chicken momo is ready to serve. 

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Vegetable Momo

Ingredients of Dough for Wrapper:

flour : 3 cups, Oil: 1 tbsp, Water: 3/4 cup or as required, Salt to taste

Ingredients for Vegetable Filling:

Cabbage: 1/4 cup (finely chopped), Carrot: 1/4 cup (grated), Spinach: 1/2 cup (finely chopped), Spring Onions: 1/4 cup (finely chopped), Ginger: 1 tsp (finely chopped), Garlic: 1 tsp (finely chopped), Green Chillies : 3-4 (finely chopped), Cheddar Cheese: 1/2 cup (shredded), Black Pepper Powder: 1/2-1 tsp (Freshly grounded), 5 Spice Blend: 1/4 tsp (Fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds & Sesame seeds), Soy Sauce: 1 tsp, Oil/Butter: 1 tbsp, Salt to taste

Instructions for Dough:

First, take a bowl and mix flour, oil, and salt. Add water slowly so that you can prepare the dough that will become homogeneous in texture. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30-40 minutes

Instructions for Stuffing: 

Take a pan and saute chopped ginger and chopped garlic for a second. Next, add the all chopped vegetables and cook them for 2-4 minutes. Now add black pepper powder, and salt and mix them well. Minimize the flame and add shredded cheese. Remove from the heat and put it away to become cool. Then add soy sauce, five spice blend powder, and mix together. 

Making Momo Wrapper:

Now knead the dough nicely and Divide the dough into several parts. Take each part and flatten it with a rolling board and fill with filling close the edges with your fingers and steam them for about 8-10 min. Serve hot with Chutney or sauce.

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Beef Momo 

Ingredients for Wrap:

All-purpose flour 2 cups, Room temperature water as required, Salt to taste, Oil ½ teaspoons, Dry flour as required

Ingredients for stuffing:

Minced beef 500 gm, Onion 2 medium size (chopped), Cabbage ½ cup (chopped), Green chili 3 to 4 (chopped), Ginger 2 tbsp. (chopped), Green onion ½ cup (chopped), Fresh coriander 2 tbsp. (chopped), Garlic paste 1 tbsp, Red chili powder 1 tbsp, Momo masala powder 1 tbsp, Oil 2 tbsp, Salt to taste.

Instructions

First, take a large bowl and mix well the minced beef and other remaining ingredients. Now momo filling is ready and keeps the filling in rest to use later. 

Take another bowl to prepare the dough. Mix flour, salt, and water as required to prepare a semi-stiff dough. If necessary add some dry flour and knead the dough well and rest for 10 minutes. Make sure you cover the dough while it is in the rest. 

Take each momo sheet and fill it with the filling and seal the eagles. Prepare others to part the same way. Now set a steamer and brush the steaming pleat with oil, place the shaped Momos and steam it for 10 to 15 minutes.

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Paneer Momo

Ingredients

6 oz paneer, break into small pieces, 1/4 cup finely minced onion, 1 heaping tablespoon minced ginger, 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic, 2 scallions, finely chopped, 2 teaspoon momo masala (or use 1 teaspoon curry powder/garam masala or a small pinch of cumin, coriander, and chili powder, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste, 1 packet dumpling wrapper 

Instructions For Filling

First, take a large bowl and mix all the ingredients of the filling, and set aside to rest for some time. 

Instructions For Dough

First, take a bowl and mix flour, oil, and salt. Add water slowly so that you can prepare the dough that will become homogeneous in texture. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30-40 minutes 

Instructions for Making Momo

Now knead the dough nicely and Divide the dough into several parts. Take each part and flatten it with a rolling board and fill with filling close the edges with your fingers and steam them for about 8-10 min. Serve hot with Chutney or sauce.

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Fish Momo 

Ingredients

500 gms boiled fish single, 1 cup onion, 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masala, one tsp amchur powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, Salt to taste, ¼ flour

Instructions for preparing the Filling

First, fry the fish well and separate the shaped parts of the fish. Then mashed the fish and mix well with other ingredients to make the filling. When the filling is mixed well, set it aside. 

Instructions for preparing the Dough

First, take a bowl and mix flour, oil, and salt. Add water slowly so that you can prepare the dough that will become homogeneous in texture. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30-40 minutes

Instructions for Cooking Momo

Now knead the dough nicely and Divide the dough into several parts. Take each part and flatten it with a rolling board and fill with filling close the edges with your fingers and steam them for about 8-10 min. Serve hot with Chutney or sauce.

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