Veg Momos

Why does the filling go in raw?

Because it cooks in its own juices inside a sealed wrapper, and that is where the texture comes from. Pre-cooking the vegetables drives off the moisture that would otherwise create steam inside the dumpling, giving a dry, dense filling. Raw finely shredded cabbage and carrot need only the ten minutes of steaming to become tender, and they stay juicy in a way cooked filling does not.

Why salt and squeeze the cabbage?

Because cabbage is mostly water, and there is a difference between moisture that steams the filling and moisture that pools and bursts the wrapper. Salting draws out the excess through osmosis in about ten minutes, and squeezing removes it. Enough remains inside the leaf tissue to keep the filling juicy. Skipping this is the main reason home momos leak and stick.

How thin should the wrapper be?

Thin enough to be slightly translucent, and thinner at the edges than in the middle. The centre carries the weight of the filling so it needs a little more body, while the edges get folded into pleats and would otherwise create a thick, doughy knot at the top. This graduated thickness is what separates a good momo from a dumpling with a bready lid.

Why do my momos stick to the steamer?

Not enough grease, or overcrowding. The wrapper is plain flour and water with no fat, so it bonds readily to metal. Oil the plate generously, or line it with a perforated parchment or a cabbage leaf. Leave a finger's width between momos, because they swell slightly and any contact fuses them together permanently.

Are steamed momos actually healthy?

For street food, yes, genuinely. Nothing is fried, the wrapper is thin so the flour quantity per momo is small, and the filling is mostly vegetables. A plate of eight steamed momos is far lighter than almost anything else on a street menu. The caveats are that protein is low unless paneer or soya is in the filling, and that fried and pan-fried momos remove the main advantage. Our weight management course covers this kind of swap in practical terms.

What about the chilli chutney?

The red chutney served with momos is usually dried red chilli, garlic, tomato and a little oil, ground coarse, and it contributes very little energy for a great deal of flavour. This is unusual among Indian accompaniments, most of which are either sugary or oily. It is one of the reasons momos work well for anyone eating deliberately: the flavour intensity comes from chilli and garlic rather than fat or sugar.

What fillings work besides vegetables?

Paneer is the most common vegetarian addition in India and raises the protein considerably. Soya granules, soaked and squeezed, work well and add more. Minced chicken is the standard non-vegetarian filling. Mushroom is good but must be cooked and squeezed first, since it releases a great deal of water. Whatever the filling, the rule about excess moisture holds.