FOR THE DUMPLINGS

FOR THE FILLING

Mix the flour with 2 tbsp of water and make a dough. Give it a good knead so it is smooth and soft, adding 1 tsp more water if needed. Halve the dough and roll each half into a long rope. Pinch off equal tiny portions, aiming to get seven or eight from each rope. Roll each into a smooth ball and cover with a damp tea towel.

Mix all the ingredients for the filling, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Place a steamer filled with water on the heat and oil the steamer basket. Taking one ball of dough at a time, use a little flour to roll out into a thin 6–7.5cm round. Place a generous teaspoonful of filling in the centre. Take the momo in your left hand (if right handed) and use your thumb and forefinger to enclose the filling by gathering the edges of the dough and pleating them together (or you can pleat them to look like rosebuds, see previous page). Either way, make sure the filling stays well away from the edges. Place on the oiled rack, seam side up.

Once they are all done, place in the steamer, close the lid and steam for 12–14 minutes, or until the dough is no longer sticky, then serve.

MAKES 15–16 DUMPLINGS

Chilli, ginger and tomato chutney

MAKES ENOUGH TO GO WITH THE MOMOS

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Add 3 peeled garlic cloves, 18g of root ginger, peeled weight, and 2–3 green chillies, all roughly chopped, and sauté until the garlic begins to colour. Add 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped, and salt, cover and cook down until the moisture has evaporated and the tomatoes are darkening. Add some boiled water and blend together (it doesn’t have to be too fine). Add 1 tsp of finely chopped ginger and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Taste, adjust the seasoning and add more finely diced green chilli, if you like. It should be loose but not watery, quite hot and gingery and slightly salty, as the dumplings are quite simple.

This recipe are taken from Anjum Anand’s ‘Indian Food Made Easy’, (www.Quadrille.co.uk). INDIAN FOOD MADE EASY by ANJUM ANAND, published by Quadrille.