Vegetarian Momos

Makes 40 pieces

Who says veggie food has to be boring? Our Vegetarian Momos are loaded with fresh, colorful veggies, aromatic herbs, and just the right kick of spices. These little pockets of goodness are steamed to perfection and served with a tangy, spicy tomato dipping sauce. Perfect for anyone who loves bold flavors and a lighter bite!

Ingredients

For Dough:
250g flour
120g slightly warm water

For Vegetable Filling:
300g crumbly cottage cheese (paneer)
140g chopped onion
4 tablespoons chopped coriander
4 tablespoons chopped spring onion
60g finely grated red cabbage
60g finely chopped carrot
60g chopped rehydrated shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons coriander power
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon or to taste garam masala
A pinch of wild pepper (Sichuan pepper)
powder

For Sauce:
400g fresh ripe tomatoes
1 large green or red chili pepper
2-3 tablespoons roasted mustard oil (or cooking oil of your choice)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
A bunch of coriander
A bunch of spring onion
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
½ teaspoon garam masala powder
½ teaspoon or to taste chili powder
A pinch of wild pepper (Sichuan pepper) powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons roasted peanuts

Recipe

Place flour into a mixing bowl. Add the water to the flour. Knead until the dough becomes soft and smooth. Cover well with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Combine cheese, onion, coriander, spring onion, chopped vegetables, garlic and ginger paste, spices and mix well. Set aside.
Shape dough into a doughnut about 1” in thickness. Divide the doughnut into 2 logs and then split into 20 pieces per log. Flatten, dust with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Roll each ball with a rolling pin, trying to get the edges thinner than the center. Fill with a heaping teaspoon of filling. Gather and pinch it all around, making sure the momo is well sealed.
Arrange the momos in the paper lined steamer basket.
In a wok, bring about 2 inches of water to a hard boil. Place steamer basket on and steam for 12 minutes.

Making Sauce:

Preheat oven to 220°C. Spray oil over whole tomato and green/red chili, then roast in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
Heat roasted mustard oil in a pan, over medium heat. Add cumin seeds – let the splutter.
Add the roasted tomato and green chili. Smash them. Add minced ginger, garlic, coriander and spring onion along with spices, salt and peanuts - cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
Set aside to cool. Blend the mixture. Your sauce is ready!