Vegetable Momos

Hand holding vegetarian momos with chopsticks

Momos are a version of dumplings and are widely made in the northeastern part of India. They are also a very popular street food in many parts of India.

Author: Pavani

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: indo chinese

Servings: momos

Ingredients

2 Garlic cloves
1" Ginger piece
1~2 Green chilies
2~3 Green onions, chopped
4 cups Chopped mixed vegetables*
1 cup Firm or Extra firm Tofu, chopped
2 teaspoons Oil
1 teaspoon Soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chili Sauce
To taste Salt and Pepper
36 Wonton wrappers

Instructions

Make the filling:

In a food processer, combine garlic, ginger, green chili, green onion, mixed vegetables and tofu. Process until finely chopped.
2 Garlic cloves, 1" Ginger piece, 1~2 Green chilies, 2~3 Green onions, chopped, 4 cups Chopped mixed vegetables*, 1 cup Firm or Extra firm Tofu, chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook for 6~8 minutes, or until the veggies no longer smell raw. Add soy sauce, chili sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Turn off stove and set aside to cool for 10~15 minutes.
2 teaspoons Oil, 1 teaspoon Soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Chili Sauce, To taste Salt and Pepper

Fill and Make Momos:

Work with one wonton wrapper at a time and keep the rest under a damp towel. Place about 2 teaspoons of the vegetable mixture in the center. Dampen the edges with water. Fold the wrapper over to encase the filling, then press the edges together to seal properly.
Place the filled momo on a plate and cover it up to prevent it from drying out. Repeat with the remaining wrappers until the filling is used.
Once the dumplings are wrapped, then they are ready to be cooked. At this point, you can freeze them for later. Or you can either steam or air fry or even deep fry them.
36 Wonton wrappers

Steam Momos in Instant Pot:

Select Sauté and pour water into the Instant Pot. The water will start to simmer in 2 to 3 minutes. Place the prepared momos onto a steamer basket and place the basket in the pot.
Place the lid on, lock it, and place the steam valve in the venting position. Cancel Sauté and select 'Steam'. Instant Pot does not count down in Steam mode, so make sure to set a separate timer for 12 minutes.
Turn off the Instant Pot when the timer goes off and natural release the steam for 5 minutes; quick release the remainder. Open the pressure cooker and, using oven mitts, carefully remove the steamer basket.

Steam in Steamer:

Place the prepared momo on a parchment lined bamboo steamer. Fill a wok with 1~2" of water and place the bamboo steamer in it. Water should come to about 1" to the side of the steamer. Steam for 10~12 minutes.

Air Fried Momos:

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Lightly grease the air fryer tray. Place the prepared momos in a single layer. Bake for 8~10 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until golden and crispy.
Serve the momos hot with some chili sauce.

Video

Notes

You can use either store-bought wonton wrappers or make your own wrappers at home.
Make sure to keep the wrappers and prepared veg momos covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out.
Veggies like cabbage, broccoli, carrot, mushroom etc. are great in this recipe. I sometimes use store-bought coleslaw or broccoli slaw to save time.
You can substitute tofu with paneer in the filling. Or skip the protein altogether make this a 100% vegetable momos recipe.
Make sure to cool the filling slightly before shaping the momos.
If steaming Momos in Instant Pot, make sure to set a separate timer since IP does not count down in Steam mode.
The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Vegetarian momos can be prepped 1 day in advance and then steamed or air fried just before serving.
You can make veg momos ahead of time and freeze them. To do that, make the dumplings and place them in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Put them in the freezer until completely frozen, then transfer to a ziploc bag and store for up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply steam the frozen dumplings until warmed through.
To make fried momos, heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the prepared momos in batches and cook until golden brown and crispy on all over.
To make your own dumpling wrapper:
- Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons oil in a medium size bowl. Slowly add about ¼ cup of water, mix and knead to form a dough. Knead into a smooth dough. Cover the bowl and set aside aside for at least 15~20 minutes.
- On a lightly oiled work surface, roll out the dough into a ¼" thick circle. Use a 3" cookie cutter to punch out dough circles.
- Follow the recipe as written and cook the veg momos until cooked through.

Nutrition

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