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Nepal, Asia · Nepali Chicken Momo with Tomato Achar

Tandoori Chicken Momo with Mint Yoghurt

India's street-food favourite: steamed chicken momo coated in a Kashmiri chilli and garam masala yoghurt marinade, then pan-charred for a smoky tandoori finish.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time55 min
Marinating+ 10 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Filling: very finely chop the onion, half the coriander, half the garlic and ginger and half the chillies. In a bowl, mix them with the chicken, some of the salt and a little of the oil, working it in one direction for 2 minutes until sticky. Wash your hands and tools after handling raw chicken.

    Add in this stepMinced chicken thigh 240 gRed onion, very finely chopped 60 gFresh coriander 7.5 gGarlic cloves 1½Fresh ginger 6 gGreen chillies ½Salt 0.4 tspVegetable oil ¾ tbsp

  2. Lay out 20 wrappers, brush the edges lightly with water and put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre. Fold into a half-moon, then pinch small pleats along one side and press firmly to seal. Keep them under a damp cloth so the wrappers don't dry out.

    Add in this stepRound dumpling wrappers (8–9 cm, shop-bought) 20

  3. Bring the steamer water to a rolling boil over high heat and line the tray with baking paper. Arrange the momos 2 cm apart and steam in 2 batch(es), per batch, until cooked right through; a cut-open momo should be white inside with clear juices (75 °C). Leave to cool for 3 minutes so the surface dries.

    high heat

  4. In a large bowl, mix part of the yoghurt with the Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, the kasuri methi crushed between your palms, half the lemon juice, the rest of the garlic and ginger, some salt and a little oil into a tandoori marinade. Add the steamed momos and fold gently so the wrappers don't tear, then leave for .

    Add in this stepGreek yoghurt 96 gKashmiri chilli powder 1½ tspGaram masala ¾ tspKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) ½ tspLemon ¼Garlic cloves 1½Fresh ginger 6 gSalt ¼ tspVegetable oil ½ tbsp

  5. Mint sauce: blend or very finely chop the remaining yoghurt with the mint, the rest of the coriander and chillies, the remaining lemon juice and the last of the salt until smooth and pale green. Keep in the fridge.

    Add in this stepGreek yoghurt 64 gMint leaves 10 gFresh coriander 7.5 gGreen chillies ½Lemon ¼Salt ⅛ tsp

  6. Heat the remaining oil in a wide pan (26–28 cm) over medium-high heat and add the marinated momos in a single layer. Cook in 2 batch(es), per batch, turning, until the coating is charred in spots and the edges are crisp. The oil can spit, so keep a lid nearby.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil 1¼ tbsp

    medium-high heat

  7. Pile onto a plate and serve with the mint yoghurt, thinly sliced red onion and lemon wedges.

Cook's tip

Kashmiri chilli powder is mild with a vivid colour, which gives tandoori its signature red; at a pinch use paprika with a little chilli powder. With an oven, roast the coated momos at 230 °C for 8–10 minutes instead. Use thick Greek yoghurt, or the marinade will slide off.

Cooking it at camp

Steam and cool the momos at home, coat them in the marinade and pack in a sealed box in a cooler below 5 °C. At camp, char them in a pan on the burner, or thread them onto skewers over embers for real tandoor-style smoke. Embers run hot, so turn often so they don't burn.