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, called 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!

What is momo? Momo is a steamed dumpling with a thin skin made from flour and is filled with an aromatic meat filling. With influences from Tibet and China, this is a popular street food in Nepal.

What is Jhol? Jhol is an aromatic sauce with a sesame and tomato base. It’s fragrant, nutty and herbaceous, and can be whipped in under 20 minutes.

The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe and some tips!

1. Mince: It’s an aromatic chicken mince filled with tonnes of herbs and spices. I highly recommend you use chicken mince with a higher fat content for a juicier momo.
2. Herbs: the herbs/veggies are green onion (scallion) and coriander (cilantro), with the addition of red onion which make up the herbaceous flavour of the momo.
3. Spices and aromatics: The spices and aromatics used in this recipe are garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder. Garam masala is a spice blend originating from India (mainly comprises of cumin, coriander, cardamon, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg) and is commonly used in Nepalese cuisine. You can find these spices in most supermarkets nowadays, if not, try having a look at your local Indian/Asian grocery stores.
4. Butter: you might think it’s weird to add butter into the mince but the fat adds juiciness to the momo but also nuttiness which adds another layer of interest to the momo.
5. Peanuts: peanuts adds nuttiness and saviouriness to the sauce. Make sure you dry roast inside a pan first to bring out its oil and flavour. Or you can skip this step by buying the salted roasted peanuts from the supermarket – these come pre-salted so you need to cut back on the salt from the sauce.
6. Sesame seeds: also adds nuttiness to the sauce and you will also need to dry roast these in a pan until golden. You can find this at most supermarkets or at Asian grocery stores.
7. Chutney: it’s a tomato based chutney packed with spices, sesame seeds and peanuts. The sugar helps to cut through the acidicity of the tomatoes while the lime juice adds flavour and cuts through the richness of the peanuts and sesame. 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.
8. 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.
9. Chilli oil: optional but highly recommended! The spiciness adds a nice kick to the momos and offset the richness of the Jhol sauce. Store bought chilli oil is fine, you can find it most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.
10. Storage: the chutney sauce gets better the day after! You can store the chutney sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days. The dumplings you should store in the freezer and you can do that for up to 1 month.
11. Prepare in advance: if you would like to make these ahead of time, i recommend you make the momos first and freeze them. Make the chutney sauce the day before and store in the fridge. Once you’re ready to serve, you can steam the frozen momos and heat up the sauce in a small pot.

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).