Special Momos

                    Special Momos

Have you ever wondered about the journey of momo? Come to think of it, the momo has probably travelled the farthest of all foods. That, it is now quite at home on the streets of Delhi, as it is comfortable at posh five-star eateries, only confirms how these stuffed dumplings (either with meat of one’s choice or assorted greens including paneer) have evolved over the years. And how India, which is not even its place of origin, has adopted it like its very own is also an interesting twist.

Momo traces its roots to Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.

The humble Momo, itself, has a long and rich history. It has travelled across many geographies, evolving with each stop it made. Momos are said to have originated in the 14th century. Considering their immense popularity, it is no surprise that both Nepal and Tibet claim to be their birthplace. While this may always remain a topic of heated debate, one thing we know for sure is that when Momos entered India, they made an indelible mark - and we made them our own!

The first Momo I got a chance to taste was in 1989. Before that, I didn't even know what a Momo was! We were living at Lucknow and in our colony, there was a kashmiri lady Mrs. Tankha who prepared in her kitty Party these delicious Momos. They were an instant hit. And even today, decades have passed since I learnt this recipe, I only prepare this kind of momo. Served with special Tomato 🍅 chutney, Paneer Cauliflower Momos are super yummy. 

Ingredients:

1. Grated Cauliflower- 1 cup

2. Grated paneer- 1 cup

3. Finely chopped onion-1/4 cup

4. Black pepper powder-1 tsp.

5. Salt

6. Green chillies-2 finely chopped 

Method:

* Mix all the ingredients mentioned above, in the original recipe, green chillies were not used.

* Stuff in maida dough and shape and steam for 15 minutes. 

* Serve with Momos chutney 

Chutney......

Grind 2 tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 2 green and 4 soaked red chillies(I added chilli flakes) in a mixing jar. Add kashmiri red chilli powder for color and chilli oil. I add mustard oil for extra zing.