In Search Of Momos

Momo is a type of steamed dumpling with fillings – part of Tibetan and Nepali cuisine. It is also popular in the neighbouring countries of Bhutan, Bangladesh and India. Tibetan momos are generally half moon shaped whereas Nepali momos are round. Momos are served with a chutney or sauce which is called achaar flavoured with spices and herbs  used in many South Asian cuisines.  Momos are also used in soups.

Momo is a Tibetan word, probably borrowed from Chinese, used for steamed wheat buns and breads. Legend has it that the 7th Century Nepali Princess, Bhrikuti, introduced Buddhism along with momos in Tibet.  However, despite the legend, it is generally believed that momos travelled from China to Tibet to Nepal where it is dated back to almost the 14th Century.

The Tibetan Uprising of 1959 saw a large number of Tibetan emigrating to India bringing momos along with them. The Civil War in Nepal saw Nepalis coming to India in search of livelihood. They popularised the ‘Himalayan’ style momos in the Southern half of India – Bangalore and Chennai.

The typical Tibetan momos have a filling of meat (yak) or potato and cheese. To cater to the large population of vegetarians in India momos with mixed vegetables and paneer stuffings were introduced. For non vegetarian Indians the meat filling got substituted by minced chicken.

The fillings are stuffed into a thin layer of casing of flour and steamed. It’s soft, non spicy and has no oil. The chutney or sauce served with it is hot and spicy. Momos have become a very popular part of Indian Street food. Vendors selling momos have mushroomed in every big and small market of the Capital. Momos are a big youth favourite snack. Many innovative variants of  momos are also served in local and posh restaurants like fried momos, tandoori momos, achaari momos, afghani momos, wheat momos etc.

Sikkim House in Delhi is the official State Guest House of Sikkim representing its authentic cuisine, culture, arts, handicrafts and administration. Sikkim , nicknamed as Valley of Rice, is a North-eastern State of India known for its biodiversity, scenic beauty, alpine and subtropical climate. It is the least populated State and also host to Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India and the third highest on Earth. Sikkim shares its border with parts of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan  and West Bengal. Its capital is the beautiful city of Gangtok which is a high attraction point of tourist visits in India.

The restaurant housed in Sikkim House serves chicken and veg momos with authentic Tibetan and Sikkimese flavours.

Soon after my retirement, me and my sister, in one of our adventure sprees, visited this restaurant to have a bite of the momos. The freshly made  Chicken momos were really good with subtle flavours. I did not like the vegetable momos that much. The serving time is long as they prepare the momos on receipt of the order and serve hot and smoky.

The restaurant was spacious but a little stuffy as the doors opening on the back space were shut. I did take a lot of pictures but somehow they have been deleted from my mobile. As far as I remember , the decor was a mix of red and green and yellow with decorative motifs and photographs.

Momos can be made at home also. For the culinary queens it’s a test of how soft their dough can be so as to churn out melt-in-mouth momos which is the real yardstick of authenticity and perfection.

Foodies can venture into this joint if into momos. I guess evening time will be more interesting.

Check it out.

Source and Pics : Wiki and Google