Vegetable momos recipe

vegetable momos recipe :

veg momos recipe - makes 14 to 16 momos

veg momos recipe - steamed dumplings stuffed with a lightly spiced vegetable filling. a popular tibetan recipe.

 COURSE appetiser

 CUISINE Indian Street Food, tibetan, world

 PREP TIME 30 minutes

 COOK TIME 1 hour

 TOTAL TIME 1 hour 30 minutes

 SERVINGS 14 to 16 momos

 AUTHOR Akanksha shukla 

INGREDIENTS (1 cup = 250 ml)

for outer cover of veg momos

• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• ½ teaspoon oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt or as required
• 2 to 3 tablespoon water for kneading or as required

for making veg momos stuffing

• 1.5 to 1.75 cups finely chopped vegetables (i added ½ cup chopped cabbage, ½ cup chopped carrots, ⅓ cup chopped french beans and ¼ cup chopped capsicum)
• 2 small sized spring onions - finely chopped - reserve the greens to be added later
• 3 to 4 small garlic - finely chopped (lahsun)
• 1.5 teaspoon light soy sauce OR 1 teaspoon soy sauce OR add as required
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder (kali mirch powder) or as required
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt as required

HOW TO MAKE RECIPE

making outer cover of veg momos:

1. take the all purpose flour (maida), salt and oil in a bowl and mix it.
2. add water in parts and knead to a firm dough. cover the dough and keep aside for 30 minutes.

making veg momos stuffing:

1. finely chop all the vegetables. you can also use a food processor to chop the vegetables.
2. in a thick bottomed pan heat oil. add garlic. saute for 2-3 seconds.
3. add onions and saute for 10-15 seconds. add all the finely chopped vegetables.
4. increase the flame and stir fry the vegetables on a medium to high flame. if you have not used a thick bottomed pan, then saute the veggies on a low to medium flame.
5. saute or stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. then add soy sauce, salt and pepper.
6. continue to stir fry on a medium to high flame for 2 to 3 minutes more.
7. switch off the flame and add 1 to 2 tbsp of the spring onions greens. mix well.
8. check the taste and add more salt, pepper or soy sauce, if required.

shaping the veg momos:

1. divide the dough in two parts. make a 6-7 inch log from each part. cut the log into equal slices.
2. make ball of each slice and keep them covered with a moist napkin.
3. take each dough ball and on a lightly dusted board, roll each dough ball into a thin circle of about 2-3 inch diameter.
4. try to get the edges to be thin and the center to be thick.
5. place 1 or 2 tsp of vegetable stuffing in the center.
6. lift one side of the edge and start pleating. (you can also refer to the video above to see how pleating is done).
7. start folding and forming the pleats one by one. towards the end, join the pleats in the center.
8. prepare all momos this way and keep them covered under a moist napkin. till you are ready to steam them.

steaming veg momos:

1. heat water in a steamer or in a electric cooker or in a pressure cooker. let the water come to a boil.
2. in a greased steamer pan or in idli moulds, place the momos keeping space between them so that they don't touch each other. * check notes on how to steam the momos in idli pan or pressure cooker.
3. steam momos for 5-6 minutes.
4. don't overdo the steaming, as the dough becomes dense and dry.
5. the steaming time may vary upon the thickness of momos' cover.
6. when you touch the momo then dough should not feel sticky to you. this means they are done and the momos will have a transparent look.
7. time of cooking momos varies from intensity of the flame and kind of pan and the steamer you are using.
8. once done, garnish veg momos with spring onion greens.
9. serve vegetable momos with a spicy sauce like schezwan sauce or tomato-chili sauce or chili sauce. you can also serve it with red chilli garlic chutney. momos go very well with a spicy sauce.

Tips :

to steam the momos in a pressure cooker: 

• heat about 2 cups water in the pressure cooker.
• place the momos in a pan inside the cooker.
• remove the vent weight/whistle and steam the momos for 5 to 6 minutes. if not done, then steam for a few more minutes. the water should not come in contact with the momos.

to steam veg momos in an idli pan: 

• proceed same way, you make the idlis. heat water in the pan.
• grease the idli mould with oil.
• place the momos on the idli moulds.
• then place the moulds in the pan and steam the momos.

lets start step by step veg momos recipe:

a) preparing the outer cover of momos:

1. take the all purpose flour (maida), salt and oil in a bowl and mix it.

2. add water in parts and begin to knead to a firm dough.

3. cover the dough and keep aside for 30 minutes.

b) for the vegetable momo stuffing:

4. finely chop all the vegetables. you can also use a food processor to finely chop the vegetables.

5. heat oil in a thick bottomed pan heat. add garlic. saute for 2-3 seconds.

6. add onions. stir and saute for 10-15 seconds.

7. add all the finely chopped vegetables.

8. increase the flame and stir fry the vegetables on a medium to high flame. if you have not used a thick bottomed pan, then saute the veggies on a low to medium flame. saute or stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. then add soy sauce, salt and pepper.

9. continue to stir fry on a medium to high flame for 2 to 3 minutes more. switch off the flame and add 1 to 2 tbsp of the spring onions greens. mix well. check the taste and add more salt, pepper or soy sauce, if required.

10. the vegetable stuffing is ready. let the stuffing cool completely.

c) shaping the veg momos:

11. divide the dough in two parts.

12. make a 6-7 inch log from each part. cut the log into equal slices.

13. make ball of each slice and keep them covered with a moist napkin.

14. take each dough ball and on a lightly dusted board, roll each dough ball into a thin circle of about 2-3 inch diameter.

15. the edges have to be thin and center have to be thick.

16. apply water with your finger tip or with a small pastry brush towards the circumference. this is an optional step.

17. place 1 or 2 tsp of vegetable stuffing in the center.

18. lift one side of the edge and start pleating. (you can also refer to the video above to see how pleating is done).

19. pleating the momos.

20. join all the pleats in the center.

21. a pleated and shaped momo

22. another simple technique to shape momos – join the edges

23. this is an easy method. the momo is shaped like gujiya . you can stop here or can proceed to the next step.

24. bring both the end together and join.

25. prepare all momos this way and keep them covered under a moist napkin. till you are ready to steam them.

d) steaming veg momos:

26. grease a steamer pan with oil.

27. arrange the momos in the pan, keeping space between them.

28. steam veg momos in an electric cooker or a steamer pan. you can also use idli pans or pressure cooker to steam. (check recipe notes above in recipe card)

29. steam the veg momos for 5 to 6 minutestill the outer cover becomes transparent. don’t over cook as then the outer cover, becomes dense and chewy. the steaming time may vary upon the thickness of momos’ cover.

when you touch the momo then dough should not feel sticky to you. this means they are done and the momos will have a transparent look.

30. serve vegetable momos hot with momos chutney and red chili sauce  or tomato sauce. momos goes best with a spicy sauce and should be eaten hot.