Vegetable Momos

Momo is a type of dumpling native to Tibet, traditionally filled with yak meat and eaten with a variety of sauces. In Nepal and bordering regions of India, momos are typically filled with ground and seasoned water buffalo meat. Momos are served hot with tomato and sesame sauce usually seasoned with ground peanut, Sichuan pepper (timur), and cilantro.

The dish was initially popular among the Newar community of the Kathmandu valley. As a result, one prevalent belief is that traveling Newar merchants brought the recipe and the name momo from Lhasa, Tibet where they had been a traditional delicacy for centuries. The merchants modified the seasonings of the dish with available ingredients and kept the same name.

 Momos are growing popularity in India. The style and filling varies according to the preference of the people in different regions. In India, the filling can include paneer, mutton, chicken, pork and an assortment of vegetables.

A simple white-flour-and-water dough is generally preferred to make the outer momo covering. Sometimes, a little yeast or baking soda is added to give a more doughy texture to the finished product. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also used sometimes to enhance the taste of momo.

Basically, there are three types of momo, steamed, fried and pan-fried. Momo is usually served with a dipping sauce (locally called chutney/achhar), normally made with tomato as the base ingredient. In Nepal, soup momo is a dish with steamed momo immersed in a meat broth. Pan-fried momo is also known as kothey momo. Steamed momo served in spicy hot sauce is called C-momo. There are also a variety of Tibetan momos, including tingmo and thaipo.

Now I am going to prepare Vegetable Momos.

                                     Vegetable Momos recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Snack
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 7 mins     |  Serves:2

Ingredients:

                                           For The Dough:

Maida / All purpose flour - 1cup

Salt - needed

Oil - tsp

Pepper - 1tsp

Luke warm Water - needed

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                                                        For The Filling :

Garlic -2 nos

Soya Sauce - 1tsp

Diced vegetables - 1cup (carrot, cabbage,beans, peas, capsicum)

Spring onions - 1/4 cup

Salt - needed

Oil - 1tbsp

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 Method:

• First take a bowl and add the flour, salt, pepper, oil and mix well. Now slowly add water little by little and form a smooth dough. Set it aside for 15 minutes.I dont like bland outer cover so I am adding pepper here. Its purely optional.
  
• Now dice the vegetables finely. Vegetable choice is purely yours. Take a pan and add oil, saute finely minced garlic. Saute spring onions and the rest vegetables finely. Add little salt. When they are cook add soya sauce and mix well.
  
• Now take the dough and knead it well. Make lemon sized balls out of it. Now roll each ball into a small circle, using a rolling pin. Dust it with flour if its sticky. 
  
• Now place 2tsp filling of the vegetable in the centre of the circle. Now make 3pleats with the cicrcle as shown in the picture.Now keep pleating on one side and close the circle to one side. Keep turning the momos and pleat.
  
• Now repeat the same with all the dough balls. Grease idly plates or steamer and place the momos and steam cook it for 5 to 7 minutes. Not more than that.
  
• Steaming for 5 to 7 minutes is more than enough, else the outer layer will become hard.
  
• Serve it with any Sauce!!