The speed at which momos have emerged as Delhi’s most sought-after street food scene is truly worth chronicling. In the last 15 years, I have seen my neighborhood evolving drastically, but one of the marked changes would have to be in the number of momo stalls that have found their dedicated spots and loyal fans. For the uninitiated, momos are dumplings that trace their origins to Tibet or Nepal. They are made with refined flour or atta. A piece of dough is rolled out flat and thin, then a filling of vegetable or meat is placed in the centre of the dough and the edges are folded and sealed. These dumplings are then steamed until the momos are soft and nicely cooked from inside, and then the momos are served with a dollop of red hot, momo chutney. Regular momo-eaters know very well the importance of this fiery condiment. I for one would reject the best momos if the chutney is missing or not up to the mark.
Here are some tips with which you can make the perfect momo chutney, with a handful of ingredients.
- It is a good idea to soak the chillies in vinegar before you start blending it with other ingredients, it gives that lovely sharp flavour that makes the chutney so hot and tempting. Soak the dried red chillies for at least 2 hours.
- Then take the chillies out of vinegar, and do not want it to dry or anything, simply start blending it with other ingredients, it would help give a smooth finish to the chutney, and speed up the blending process too.
- You can blend it with a host of things, but if your pantry is not very loaded, you can simply make a past of the soaked red chillies with garlic, water and salt. Make sure you blend till you get a fine paste, add or reduce water until you get the desired consistency.
And that’s it, this is how you make the best momo chutney with more or less just three ingredients. Some people also like to add tomatoes to the mix, but that is your choice. The chutney is so tempting, you can even use it as a spread for your bread and buns, or as a dip for your nachos.
Here’s a step-by-step recipe with complete ingredients. Try at home and let us know.