You know i love a good dumpling and Jhol momo is definitely one of them. If you’ve never had these before, they’re Nepalese dumplings, momo, that are filled with an aromatic mince and drenched in a fragrant and spicy saucey chutney called Jhol – hence Jhol momo. They are so delicious and i really hope you try them!

There are 3 main components to this dish: The mince, chutney and dumpling skin.

1. Mince: It’s an aromatic chicken mince filled with tonnes of herbs and spices. The spices and herbs can be mostly found at your local supermarkets, no need for specialty supermarkets.
2. Chutney: it’s a tomato based chutney packed with spices. There’s also sesame and peanuts for that creamy nutty flavour. I used a stick blender to blend mine but highly recommend you use a traditional blender, it’s easier and quicker to blend and result in a smoother texture.
3. Dumpling skin: you could make your own, I do have a recipe for that – just go to any of my other dumpling recipes for it. Otherwise, store-bought is also fine if you don’t have the time and energy for it.

Ingredients

Dumpling Filling:
250g chicken mince
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 green onion/scallion, finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp butter, melted

Chutney:
2 tbsp peanuts, toasted
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
chilli powder, to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup coriander/cilantro
1 tsp sugar
1 cup water
1 lime, juiced

Other:
Dumpling wrappers
Chilli oil, optional

Method

1. Dumpling Mince: combine all the ingredients for the dumpling mince with a generous pince of salt into a bowl and mix well to combine.
2. To make the dumplings, place 1 tsp of filling into the center of a dumpling wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper with some water and crimp the edges shut (see video below on how to fold dumplings). Repeat until you run out of wrappers and set aside in the fridge until you’re ready to steam.
3. Chutney: In a pan over medium heat and a bit of oil, drop in the tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Saute then cover for around 5 minutes, try to break down the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are broken down, transfer the tomato mixture into a blender and add in the remaining ingredients for the chutney with some salt. Blend until smooth.
4. Steam Dumplings: Place your dumplings into a steamer and steam for 10 minutes or until the dumplings are fully cooked through.
5. Assemble: Place a bit of the chutney at the bottom of your dish then arrange the steamed dumplings on top. Garnish with more corianger, sesame seeds and chilli oil (optional).