How To Make Momos And Chutney At Home From Scratch

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When was the last time you stood by a roadside stall, dipped a piping hot momo onto fiery red chutney and relished this north-eastern delicacy? Can’t recall? Nor can we, but we sure as hell miss our outings to momo-wallah stall almost every evening, more so when it pours. If your craving level matches ours, you should check out our detailed step-by-step guide on how to make momos at home from scratch. Read on and thank us later!

How To Make Dough For Momos
How To Make Veg Stuffing For Momos
How To Make Stuffing For Chicken Momos
Step By Step Guide On How To Shape The Momo
How To Steam Momos
How To Make Momo Chutney

How To Make Dough For Momos

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Ingredients:
2 cups maida
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup water

Method:
1. Mix the maida, salt, and oil in a bowl properly.
2. Start kneading the dough by pouring a little water in parts. Make a firm dough without any lumps.
3. Cover the dough with a moist napkin and keep it aside for one hour

How To Make Veg Stuffing For Momos

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Ingredients:
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup cabbage, grated
1/2 cup onion, fine chopped
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp soya sauce
Salt, to taste
1/4 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 cup spring onions

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a deep-bottomed pan or kadai. 
2. Now add garlic and saute for 5-6 seconds. Add onions; stir the ingredients in the pan and sauté for 10-15 seconds.
3. Add all the other vegetables and stir well.

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4. Now increase the stove flame to a high and sauté for 10-15 seconds. Keep on stirring the vegetables in the pan while switching between medium and high flames for 1-2 minutes.
5. Repeat the sautéing for 2-3 minutes while switching between medium and low flames.
6. Now add sauces, salt, vinegar and fry for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add spring onions to the mix and stir well.
7. Add black pepper powder, and give the stuffing a final mix. Let it cool for 30-40 minutes.

Pro-Tip: You can freeze momos for 20-30 days. Before serving, steam them for 5 minutes on high flames or microwave for 3-5 minutes.

How To Make Stuffing For Chicken Momos

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Ingredients:
1 cup chicken, minced
1 tbsp oil
6-7 garlic, finely chopped 
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 cup cabbage, finely chopped  
1/4 cup capsicum, finely chopped  
1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped  
1/4 cup spring onion, finely chopped  
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp red chili sauce
1 tsp soya sauce
Salt to taste

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Method
1. Heat the oil in a deep-seathed pan.
2. Now add garlic and saute for 5-6 seconds. Add onions; stir the ingredients in the pan and sauté for 10-15 seconds.
3. Add all the other vegetables and stir well. Later, add the sauces and salt and cook for a minute.
4. Lastly, add chicken mince to the mix, sauté on high flame for 2 minutes.
5. Cover the pan for 3-5 minutes and let the chicken cook properly.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and let it cool for 30 to 40 minutes. 

Step By Step Guide On How To Shape The Momo

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1. Split the dough in two parts and make 6-7 inch log from each part.
2. Using a wide knife, slice the dough log into equal parts.

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3. Roll the dough slices into round ball with your palms. Once done for all, cover them with a moist napkin.
4. Dust rolling board and take each dough ball and roll them into into thin circles of about 2-3 inch diameter each.
5. Make sure the edges of your rolled sheet are thin and centre is thick.
6. Now gently dip your fingers in water and coat ½ inch outer-edge circumference of the sheet. You can also use a pastry brush for this.

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7. Now, put 1 or 1 ½ tsp of filling of your choice at the centre of the sheet.
8. Gently lift one side of the edge and start making pleats in a circular motion by bringing the whole dough knot at the top.

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9. Join all the pleats at the center and remove excess dough, if needed.

Another Method
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1. Put the stuffing at the centre and gently half-fold the sheet to join the edges.
2. Bring both the end together and join. This is very similar to gujiya-making process.
3. Prepare all momos in the same way and keep them covered under a moist napkin till you are ready to steam them.

How To Steam Momos

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1. Take your steamer pan and grease it properly with cooking oil. You can also use dhokla or idli steamer and even a pressure cooker of 3.5-litre or more volume to steam the momos.
2. Carefully place the momos on the surface of the steamer tray. Ensure that there’s enough distance between them or your momos will stick together.
3. Cover the steamer and steam the momos for 5-6 minutes. After 5 minutes of steaming, uncover and check if the outer layer has become translucent. If you overcook the momos, the outer layer will become chewy.
4. Touch the momos using a fork/spoon to check if they are cooked properly. If the dough sticks on the spoon or fork, it means the momos need more cooking time. You can steam them again for 2 minutes and check.

Pro-tip: If you don’t have a steamer at home, you can always use aluminium foil for steaming your momos. Aluminium foil balls can help you create that steam in any type of container.

How To Make Momo Chutney

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Ingredients
3-4 medium-sized tomatoes
10 dried red chillies
8-10 fresh garlic cloves
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper powder (as required)
Salt, to taste

Method:
1. Soak the red chillies in water for two-three hours.
2. In another pan, boil water and add tomatoes once the water starts steaming up.
3. Let the tomatoes blanch for 7-8 minutes
4. Remove them from hot water and put them under cold running tap water (not under heavy/fast flow) to stop them from over cooking.
5. Gently peel the skins off the tomatoes and chop them roughly
6. In the blender jar, place the soaked red chillies and tomatoes and make a paste. After a round or two of blending, add the garlic cloves and blend until you get a semi-thick texture.
7. Make sure your chutney is neither too runny nor thick. It should have a light tecture to lightly coat the momo.

Pro-tip: Soaking the red chillies for at least 2 hours is necessary so that a smooth blend can be achieved.

Also Read: 6 Ingredients From North-East India That You Need In Your Kitchen