Chicken Momos

Name: Chicken Momos
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sikkimese
Ingredients: 2 cups maida (all-purpose flour); 400 g chicken mince, with some fat; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped; 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped; 3 spring onions, finely chopped; 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped; 1 tbsp oil or butter; 3 tomatoes, for achar; 6 dried red chillies, for achar; 2 garlic cloves, for achar; salt to taste

Juicy steamed chicken dumplings in thin hand-pleated wrappers, served with a fiery roasted tomato and chilli achar — just like a Gangtok kitchen.

Ingredients

2 cups maida (all-purpose flour)
400 g chicken mince, with some fat
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp oil or butter
3 tomatoes, for achar
6 dried red chillies, for achar
2 garlic cloves, for achar
salt to taste

Method

Knead the maida with a pinch of salt and about 0.75 cup water into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Mix the chicken mince with onions, ginger, garlic, spring onions, coriander, oil and salt. Add 2 tbsp water and mix till sticky.
For the achar, boil the tomatoes and dried chillies for 5 minutes, drain and grind with garlic and salt to a smooth sauce.
Roll the dough into small balls and roll each into a thin 3-inch circle, thinner at the edges.
Put 1 tbsp filling in the centre and pleat the edges together into a round or half-moon momo.
Arrange on an oiled steamer tray with space between them.
Steam over boiling water for 12 minutes until the wrappers turn slightly translucent.
Serve hot with the tomato-chilli achar.

Tip: A little fat in the mince and a splash of water in the filling keeps momos juicy. Save the steaming stock as soup on the side, as Sikkimese homes do.