The Ultimate Momo Dumplings

The Filling

• 100g  chicken
• ½ bunch of coriander
• 25g ginger 
• 2 clove garlic
• 2 white cabbage leaves
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 green or red chilli, finely chopped 
• 2-3 tsp light soy sauce
• Salt to taste

The Dough

• 100g plain white flour
• 60ml water
• 1 tsp oil

To make the dough

Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and gradually add the water & oil, whilst mixing with a fork / hand. 

Take care to add the water gradually, depending on the brand, quality and age of your flour the water measurement is an approximation.

Once you have formed a rough dough and there is no longer any dry flour left, you should see lumps of dough you can now bring together to form a ball of dough. 

Tip this onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 minutes until a slightly elastic consistency is reached, this should be a ‘play dough’ consistency.

The dough would benefit from a 15-30 minute rest here.

Once rested, cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll the dough out into 1-2mm thick 

Use a 70mm diameter circular cutter to cut out as many pastries as possible.

Alternatively, roll each piece of dough into a 1 inch thick sausage shape and cut into 5 pieces. Flatten each piece and use a traditional dim sum rolling pin to roll each piece out to a 70-80mm circle. 

Toast the spices and finely chop all the other ingredients. Mix them together well, massage the meat into the ingredients  and then proceed to beat the mix to a smooth paste. 

Place 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of filling into the centre of the pastry

Lift up the pastry and squeeze the edges together as if forming a drawstring money bag shape with your dominant hand

Holding the pastry in your dominant hand, twist the top of the pastry tightly and continuously with your non-dominant hand, ensuring the filling does not leak out, until the pastry is completely sealed and you have a slightly swirled, spiraled effect at the top, and a well-rounded dumpling below.

Fill a wok 1/3 – 1⁄2 way with boiling water. Line 2 bamboo steam baskets with dim sum steam paper or pierced greaseproof paper.

Brush the paper with a little vegetable oil and then place the prepared momos into the steam baskets, twisted side down (to prevent any loose ends from opening up).

Cover the baskets with a lid and steam on high for 10-12 minutes.