Traditional Sikkim Momo Recipe At Home

I was in Gangtok. It was 2018. I went there for a friend's wedding. The wedding was fine. But the food was something else.

One morning I woke up early. I went out for a walk. The air was cold. I saw this small shop. A woman was sitting there. She had a big steamer. Steam was rising up. The smell hit me from far away. It smelled like spices and dough. I went closer.

She was making small round things. She put them in the steamer. I waited. She took them out. They looked soft and white. I bought a plate. She gave me some red sauce in a small bowl. I took a bite.

Oh my god. It was so good. The outer layer was so soft. It almost melted in my mouth. The inside had juice. The meat was warm. The spices were just right. I ate the whole plate in no time. I went back for more. I went there every day after that.

I asked her for the recipe. She laughed. She said it is a family secret. But she gave me some tips. She said the dough needs rest. She said the butter is important. She said traditional sikkim momo recipe at home.

I came home. I tried to make momos. The first time was a disaster. The dough was hard. The filling was dry. They broke open in the steamer. I tried again. Better. I tried again. Better. After many tries, I got it. Now I can make good momos.

This is how I make them.

What You See in Sikkim?

Momos are everywhere in Sikkim. Every street has a momo shop. You see people eating them at all times. Morning. Afternoon. Night. The shops are always busy.

The momo came from Tibet. Tibetan people brought it. But Sikkim people made it their own. They added different spices. They used local meats. The taste changed. It became a Sikkim thing.

What makes Sikkim momos different? The wrapper is very thin. Very thin. You can almost see through it. The filling is juicy. It has a little broth inside. The spices are not too strong. You can taste the meat clearly. The red sauce is spicy and sour. It wakes up your tongue.

People eat momos with tea. People eat momos with soup. People eat momos just like that. It is a food for everyone.

Read Also: Authentic Rajasthani Dal Baati Recipe At Home

What You Need?

Get these things first.

For the Dough

• Maida - 2 cups

• Salt - little bit

• Warm water - 3/4 cup

That is all. Simple.

You can use wheat flour. But the wrapper will not be as soft. Maida is better for this.

For the Chicken

• Chicken (thigh part) - 500 grams

• Onion - 1 big

• Ginger - 1 small piece

• Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves

• Coriander leaves - half a bunch

• Green chilli - 1 or 2

• Butter - 2 spoon (cold)

• Soy sauce - 1 spoon

• Turmeric - little bit

• Black pepper - little bit

• Salt - as you like

The butter is the secret. I will tell you why later.

If you want veg momos, use mushrooms and cabbage. I will tell you how later.

For the Sauce

• Tomatoes - 3

• Dry red chillies - 4

• Garlic - 4 cloves

• Sesame seeds - 1 spoon

• Oil - 1 spoon

• Salt - as you like

• Lemon - little bit

The sauce is important. Do not skip it.

Making the Dough

Take a bowl. Put the maida in it. Add salt. Mix.

• Make a hole in the middle. Pour warm water in the hole. Mix with your hand. Keep mixing. It will become a rough dough.
• Take it out. Put it on your kitchen counter. Start kneading. Press with your palm. Fold. Press again. Do this for 8 to 10 minutes.
• The dough will become smooth. It will be soft. When you press it, it should come back. If it sticks, add flour. If it is dry, add water.
• Make a ball. Put it back in the bowl. Cover with a wet cloth. Leave it for 30 minutes.
• Do not skip this 30 minutes. I did it once. The dough was hard. I could not roll it properly. The momos were bad. So wait. Let it rest.

Making the Sauce

While the dough rests, make the sauce.

• Take a small pot. Put tomatoes in it. Add dry chillies. Add garlic. Add half cup water. Put on the stove. Boil. Then lower the heat. Cook for 10 minutes. Tomatoes should get soft.
• Take off the stove. Let it cool.
• Put in a blender. Add sesame seeds. Add salt. Add oil. Blend until smooth.
• Taste it. Add lemon if you want.
• Your sauce is ready.

Making the Filling

Take the chicken. Put it in a bowl.

• Add onion. Add ginger (grate it first). Add garlic (chop it fine). Add coriander. Add green chilli. Add soy sauce. Add turmeric. Add black pepper. Add salt.
• Mix with your hand. But do it gently. Do not press hard. Do not mix too much. Just bring everything together.
• Now add the butter. Cut the butter into small cubes. Drop them in. Fold them into the chicken. Do not break the butter. Let the cubes stay whole.
• When the momo cooks, the butter melts. It makes the chicken wet and juicy. That is the secret.
• If you can, put this bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes. The butter gets hard again. It is easier to fill the momos.

Rolling the Wrappers

The dough has rested. Take it out.

• Cut it into two parts. Roll one part into a long roll. Like a snake. The snake should be as thick as your thumb.
• Cut the snake into small pieces. Each piece should be half inch long.
• Take one piece. Roll it into a ball. Press it flat with your palm. Now take a rolling pin. Roll it into a circle. The circle should be 3 to 4 inches wide.
• Make the edges thin. The center can be a little thicker. This helps when you fold.
• Keep the other balls covered. Put a wet cloth over them. They will dry out otherwise.

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Filling and Folding

• This is the tricky part. Your first few will look ugly. That is okay. They will still taste good.
• Hold a wrapper in your left hand. Put filling in the center. One spoonful is enough. Do not put too much. It will break.
• Now fold. Take the edge. Make a small fold. Press it. Take the next edge. Make another fold. Press it. Keep going around the circle. At the end, pinch the top.
• Make sure there is no hole. No gap. If there is a gap, the juice will leak out.
• Too hard? Do the easy way. Fold the wrapper in half. Make a half circle. Press the edges together. Done.
• Put the momos on a plate. Cover with a cloth.

Steaming

• Get your steamer. Bamboo steamer. Metal steamer. Idli stand. Anything works.
• Put water in the bottom. Put on the stove. Boil the water.
• Take the steamer tray. Put some oil on it. Spread it with your finger. This stops sticking.
• Place the momos on the tray. Leave space between them. They should not touch.
• Put the lid on. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
• How do you know they are done? The wrapper becomes a little see-through. It feels firm. Not sticky.
• Take them out. Put on a plate. Eat hot with the traditional sikkim momo recipe at home.

Things I Learnt the Hard Way

I will tell you my mistakes so you do not make them.

Rest the dough. I did not rest it once. The dough was like rubber. I could not roll it. The momos were thick and chewy. Bad. Very bad.

Use thigh meat. I used breast meat the first time. The filling was dry. Like eating cardboard. Thigh meat has fat. Fat makes it soft.

Roll thin. I made thick wrappers. The momos tasted like flour balls. Thin wrappers are the key. Very thin.

Mix gently. I mixed the filling like I was angry. The chicken became hard. Now I mix gently. Like I am folding clothes.

Use cold butter. I forgot the butter once. The momos were dry. No juice. Boring.

Add breadcrumbs if watery. Sometimes the onions release water. The filling becomes runny. Add two spoons of breadcrumbs. It absorbs the water.

Give space in steamer. I packed them tight once. They stuck together. They tore when I tried to separate them. Give them space.

Freeze extras. You can make a lot and freeze. Put them on a tray. Do not let them touch. Freeze. Then put in a bag. They stay for 2 months. Cook straight from freezer. Add 3 minutes to the time.

How to Eat?

• In Sikkim, they eat momos with the red sauce. They also eat with thukpa. Thukpa is noodle soup.
• You can make a simple soup. Boil chicken bones with salt and pepper. Strain. Put momos in the soup. Eat.
• But the sauce is the most important. Dip each bite in the sauce. The spicy and sour taste makes everything better.

Other Fillings

After you master chicken, try these.

• Pork momo. Use pork. Same spices. Different taste.
• Veg momo. Use mushrooms, cabbage, carrots. Chop very fine. Same spices. Add breadcrumbs because vegetables release water.
• Cheese momo. In Sikkim they use a hard cheese called chhurpi. Use any hard cheese.

Conclusion

Making momos is not easy. It takes practice. My first batch was terrible. My second batch was bad. My third batch was okay. My tenth batch was good. My twentieth batch was great. Do not give up. Keep trying. You will get there.

The best part is eating them with your family. My kids love when I make momos. They always ask for more. There is a happiness in making food for your loved ones. Try this recipe. Let me know how it goes. I hope your momos turn out delicious.

And please make the sauce. I keep saying this. But it is true. The sauce completes the momo. Without it, something is missing.