Momos are shaped like half-moons or like plump round purses. And although they can be made with store-bought wrappers, most Tibetan households here have a small wooden dowel reserved for rolling out the thin rounds of dough. Back in Tibet, wheat was even scarcer than meat, so momos were treats for special occasions like Losar, the Tibetan New Year celebration.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground or finely chopped beef, about 85% lean
- ½ cup minced onion
- ½ cup minced cilantro stems
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- About 48 round dumpling or gyoza wrappers (about 3 1/4 inches wide)
- Sepen (see recipe) or other hot sauce or soy sauce, for serving
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (42 servings)
47 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 7 milligrams cholesterol; 130 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
3 to 4 dozen
Preparation
Make the filling:
- In a bowl, combine the beef, onion, cilantro, ginger, oil, garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Using your hands or a spoon, mix lightly but well. Set aside, from 30 minutes to 2 hours, to develop the flavors.
Make the dumplings:
- Lay 6 wrappers out on a work surface. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the upper half of each wrapper. With a damp cloth, lightly moisten the edges of each wrapper and fold up and over the filling into a half-moon, gently pressing the edges to seal. To pleat the sealed edges, start at one tip of the half-moon and make small folds in the dough, pressing them flat as you work your way along the edge. There should be space for about 7 folds. Place finished dumplings on a nonstick surface and cover lightly with damp paper towels. Refrigerate if not cooking immediately.
- When ready to cook, boil water in the bottom of a large steamer. Spray the steamer tray lightly with nonstick spray and gently add the dumplings, making sure they do not touch. Steam in batches for 10 minutes, until the wrappers are slightly translucent, and serve immediately.
- To eat, spoon a dab of sauce onto a small plate. Pick up a dumpling and bite off one end; do not let the juice spill out. Carefully suck out the juice, then eat the rest in bites, dipping it into the sauce.
1 hour, plus resting time
Dining and Cooking