Ladakh Ladakhi Momo Beef Yak Cheese Dumpling Traditional

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Warm water — approximately 3/4 cup
• For the filling:
• 300g minced beef (or yak meat)
• 1/4 cup chhurpi (dried Ladakhi cheese) or hard cheese — finely crumbled
• 1 small onion — very finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger — finely grated
• 2 green chillies — very finely chopped
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 spring onions — finely chopped

Method

1. Make dough: mix flour and salt. Add warm water gradually and knead 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover. Rest 30 minutes.
2. Make filling: combine minced beef with crumbled chhurpi, very finely chopped onion, grated ginger, green chillies, soy sauce, salt, black pepper and spring onions.
3. Mix thoroughly. The chhurpi adds a pleasantly salty cheesy note.
4. Divide dough into 20 balls. Roll each into a thin circle about 8 cm wide.
5. Place 1 heaped tbsp filling in the centre.
6. Pleat and seal the top firmly in small overlapping folds.
7. Set up a steamer lined with oiled parchment.
8. Arrange momos with space between them.
9. Steam on medium-high for 15 minutes until the wrappers are firm and translucent. Serve with tomato chutney.