Heavenly momos
Delicious Tibetan traditional recipes that heal as well as fuel
NOURISHING, SIMPLE, SEASONAL FOOD that heals as well as fuels: this way of eating might be popular today, but it has been traditional in Tibet for over 8000 years. Taste Tibet is a collection of over 80 recipes from the Tibetan plateau written for today’s home cook. Create comforting soups and stews, learn the secrets of handpulled noodles, and everything you need to know about making and eating momo dumplings, Tibet’s legendary culinary export. Award-winning food writer Julie Kleeman and Tibetan cook Yeshi Jampa interweave stories of Yeshi’s childhood in Tibet, and the shared love of food that brought them together. They reveal nomadic Himalayan food culture and practices, including mindful eating and communal cooking — and a way of life that celebrates family, togetherness and respect for food.
HEAVENLY VEGAN MOMOS
These may be the dish for which Taste Tibet is most famous — we shift huge quantities of these momos at our restaurant and stall. They are almost as healthy as they sound, and many confirmed meat-eaters actually prefer them.
Ingredients
For the dough
500g (3 1⁄3 1 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
For the filling
1 sweetheart (pointed) cabbage, about 500g, or the same weight of any other green cabbage
200g spinach
200g Chinese chives
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cooking oil
Method
For the dough, put the flour into a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in about 250ml (1 cup) of warm water — a hot handwash temperature is good — into the flour with one hand, while mixing with the other. Add just enough water to make a dough — you don’t want it to get too sticky. Knead until the dough forms a ball in the bowl, then cover and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Wash the