Momos~nepali dumplings

Momos....I have never ever heard a word like this before couple of years. One of my friends is from Nepal and I had momos first time at their place. I really like these dumplings from very first time and they are healthy too. Momos are basically steamed dumplings which has vegetarian or non vegetarian filling. It is a lot easier to make momos here because the cover for filling is available ready made.

Ingredients

For cover

won ton wraps (1 pack)

For filling

3/4 cup cabbage (grated)

3/4 cup carrot (grated)

2 medium onions (finely chopped)

3-4 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 tbsp ginger (grated)

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp garam masala or momo masala

1 tbsp ghee

salt as per taste

Take one big mixing bowl. Add all the vegetables, chilli and ginger. Then add all the spices and ghee. At last add salt and then mix well.

Take some water in one bowl. Dip your first finger in the water and apply water on the edges on won ton wrap. Place spoonful of filling in the centre and then fold to make triangular shape. Seal the edges properly with your fingers.Repeat these procedure with all the wraps.

Put around 2-3 glass of water in the steamer and arrange the momos in steaming plate. Steam momos for around 20-25 minutes on medium flame.

Serve hot with spicy chilli sauce or tomato chutney.

Notes:-

You can add any other vegetables of your choice also.

If you don't have steamer then you can steam momos in idli moulds also.

One of the sign that momos are steamed properly is the cover become transparent.

Cereal Chevado/Chivada

Cereal and milk...One of the healthy breakfast. But what if someone doesn't like milk?? Well, that someone is me. I don't like milk much....so cereal chevado is my own way of eating cereals. It is made in similar way like poha chivada. Generally I make this chivada in bulk...so you can adjust ingredients in your proportion.

Ingredients

one and half cup cheerios or O shape cereal

1 cup corn flakes

1/2 cup rice chex

1/2 cup wheat chex

1/2 cup corn chex

1/2 cup mini wheats (unfrosted)

4 tbsp oil

4 tbsp dalia

2 to 3 tbsp peanuts

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 to 2 tbsp red chili powder

1 tbsp coriander cumin powder

1 to 2 tbsp sugar

salt as per taste

Take one big pan and put it on high flame on stove. Add oil in the pan. When oil is heated, add dalia and peanuts. Roast dalia and peanuts for couple of minutes. Add turmeric powder and then add all kind of cereal one by one. Then add all the spices, sugar and salt. Mix all the ingredients well. Make sure all the cereals are nicely coated with all spices and sugar.

Store them in air tight container and enjoy!!

Notes:-

You can add any other kind of cereal of your choice.

You can add few kishmish and cashew nuts also.

Baked Chakari/Chakali/Murukku

Chakari is a very popular dry snack in Gujarat....not just Gujarat, it is famous in southern part of india also. Every region has different name and different recipe. I like every kind of chakari. Though my favourite is made by my mom. I used to eat it a lot during my hostel days. I also learned how to make, once I came to US. But for the first time yesterday, I made baked chakari, instead of fried one...

Ingredients:

2 cup rice flour

1 cup maida (all purpose flour)

4-5 tbsp melted butter

2 tsp sour cream (optional)

1/2 cup curd

2 tbsp ginger chili paste

1 tbsp til (sesame seeds, I like them, so I added more)

1-2 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder

salt as per taste

oil for frying (optional)

Instrument:

You will need an instrument call sev no sancho as shown in picture below. It has different attachment, use the attachment for chakari .(it has one star shape hole in the centre)

Take one big bowl to knead the dough. Take both kind of flour in the bowl. Add all the dry spices ,ginger chili paste, sessme seeds and salt. Mix them well by your hand. Add butter and sour cream and then rub the flour by hand. At last knead the dough with the use of curd and some water. Dough should not be too firm or too loose. I used luke warm water to knead the dough.

For Baking

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Take one big baking tray and line it with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Make chakari with use of sancho and put it in the oven to bake. Bake it for 15 minutes and then turn it around. Again bake it for around 10-15 minutes. Chakari should be a very very light brown in color. Take them out and store in airtight container.

Make sure you put chakari directly in the baking tray, otherwise it will be very difficult to put chakari in baking tray without breaking it.

For Deep frying

Heat oil for frying in frying pan. Make chakari with use of sancho and put them on paper. (if you use newspaper,It will be easy to lift) Put chakari in batches in frying pan and fry them until golden brown, on slow flame. Take them out and drain out excess oil on absorbent paper. Store them in air tight container.

Note

I made baked chakari first time. It does not same taste like fried one though it was not bad also. (normally my fried chkaris are cruncy outside and soft inside, but this baked one are not soft inside) So it is upto you to decide...