The MoMo House Inspired Chicken Momos

1 hours 0 mins Prep Time

1 hours 0 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

Momos are a kind of dumpling that originated in Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. The first time I had Tibetan momos was at The MoMo House in Toronto. I ordered the butter chicken momos, which are essentially a traditional momo consisting of a dumpling filled with well-seasoned ground chicken and smothered in a thin butter masala sauce. Of course, after eating at The MoMo House, I knew I had to attempt to make my own version of these extremely tasty dumplings. The filling of chicken momos is flavourful and extremely tasty on its own or with a dipping sauce. This recipe has multiple parts but don't be intimidated; it is not as hard as it looks. The basic components are the ground chicken filling, tomato chutney dipping sauce and the butter masala. You can even make your own dumpling wrapper if you want an extra challenge. Check this out if you are looking for a fun dinner recipe.

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

1 pound (455 grams) ground chicken
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4-5 scallion stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
80 small dumpling wrappers or homemade dumpling dough
Cabbage or parchment paper, to line the steamer

Tomato Chutney (for dipping)

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 Thai chilis, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon Schezuan peppercorns
Salt, to taste

Butter Masala

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ghee
1 large onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
14 oz (400 grams) crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 cup of heavy or thickened cream (or evaporated milk to save calories)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)

Dumpling Dough

2 1/4 cups (320 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 grams) warm water

Directions

Dumpling Dough

6 Steps

Step 1

Mix together water and flour. Knead for about 3-4 minutes. The dough should not be sticky it should be a bit tacky. You shouldn't need to flour the surface.
Step 2

Once the ball of dough is smooth, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 40 minutes.
Step 3

After 40 minutes take dough out and knead a few more times.
Step 4

Roll dough into a rope and cut into small pieces about 12 to 13 grams or 14 to 16 grams for larger dumplings. Make sure to cover up dough you are using because it dries up quickly. I typically cover dough I am not working on with damp paper towel.
Step 5

Roll each piece of dough into a ball then using a rolling pin, roll balls out very thin, brush with some flour to prevent rolling pin from sticking.
Step 6

Work quickly to roll and fill as dumpling wrappers form a crust quickly. I typically only roll out about 3 dumpling wrappers, fill three and then move on to the next set.

Chicken Dumpling Filling

2 Steps

Step 1

In a bowl, add ground chicken, cilantro, red onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, salt, ghee and olive oil. Put on gloves and mix well.
Step 2

To test for seasoning, take a tiny bit of filling and place on plate. Microwave for about 20 seconds until cooked and taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Tomato Chutney

4 Steps

Step 1

In a medium bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, Thai chilies, garlic, ginger, turmeric and Szechuan peppers. Season with salt.
Step 2

Let sit for about 5-10 minutes until tomatoes have softened, take off heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Step 3

Place in blender and blend until smooth.
Step 4

Serve the momos with the spicy tomato chutney.

Butter Masala

8 Steps

Step 1

In a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, add your ghee and sliced onions. Cook onion for about 2 minutes until they start to sweat.
Step 2

Add your minced garlic and ginger and sautée for about 1 minute.
Step 3

Add your spices, ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 30 seconds and stir.
Step 4

Add your crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt.
Step 5

Turn heat lower and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring to prevent burning. The sauce should thicken and start browning slightly.
Step 6

Remove the sauce from heat, let cool for about 5 minutes and blend.
Step 7

You may need to add about 1/4 cup of water to thin to help with blending if you are having trouble.
Step 8

Return the sauce to the pan after blending, add cream and mix well. Add sugar, optional tablespoon of butter, kasoori methi and set aside until ready to serve.

Assembly

6 Steps

Step 1

Fill a small bowl with water.
Step 2

Take a tablespoon of your ground chicken filling and place in the middle your dumpling wrapper.
Step 3

Wet the tip of your finger and run around the dumpling wrapper. Fold as desired e.g. you can use your fingers to pleat the dumpling wrapper around the filling so it looks like a little pouch.
Step 4

Dumplings may be frozen at this point and steamed at a later date or they can be cooked immediately.
Step 5

Fill a pot with a bit of water and bring to a boil. Line your steaming basket with cabbage leaves and momos on top. Steam the momos in batches for 12-15 minutes, until the wrapper becomes slightly translucent.
Step 6

Serve momos with tomato chutney, butter masala or with both.