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The Dumpling 100 · make it at home

Nepali momo with tomato achar

1 hr 30 min · About 30, 4 people

The Himalayan dumpling: juicy spiced filling, a soft pleated round wrapper and a bright tomato and sesame achar (dipping sauce) that's half the reason you eat them.

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The real one

You need

• For the dough: 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil
• For the filling: 400 g (scant 1 lb) ground chicken thigh, buffalo, lamb or pork
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 15 g (1/2 cup) cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 green chili, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (timur), if you have it
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee
• 3 tbsp water
• For the achar: 3 tomatoes, 2 dried red chilies, 2 garlic cloves, 1 thumb ginger, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin, juice of 1/2 lime, salt, a handful of cilantro

How to make it

1. Make the dough (10 min, plus 30 min rest): Mix flour, salt and oil, add the water and knead 8 minutes until smooth and firm. Cover and rest.
2. Make the achar (15 min): Char the tomatoes and chilies in a dry pan or under the broiler until blackened in spots, about 8 minutes. Blend with garlic, ginger, sesame, cumin, lime, salt and cilantro until smooth, adding water to make a pourable sauce.
3. Make the filling (10 min): Mix the meat with onion, scallions, cilantro, ginger, garlic, chili, spices, salt, melted butter and water. Knead 1 minute until it holds together.
4. Roll (15 min): Cut the dough into 30 pieces and roll each into a 8 cm (3 1/4 in) circle, thinner at the edge.
5. Pleat (20 min): Hold a wrapper in your palm, put a tablespoon of filling in the middle and pleat the edge all around, turning as you go, then twist the pleats shut at the top in a little whirl. Or fold into a half-moon and pleat one side.
6. Steam (10 min): Oil a steamer basket and steam over boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes until the wrappers are glossy and the filling is cooked through.
7. Serve: Hot, with a bowl of achar for dipping (or poured over, for 'jhol momo', thinned with warm stock).

Tips

• The butter in the filling is the classic trick for juiciness with lean meat.
• For kothey momo, steam them, then fry the bottoms in a little oil until crisp.

Chef Amazing's own home version of momo, in our words; not any restaurant's recipe.