Momos have become one of the most popular foods on South Asian menus in North America. In Chicago, around thirteen of the restaurants in our listings serve them, and Toronto has a whole neighbourhood known for them. Yet many diners still aren't sure what they are, where they come from, or why some arrive swimming in soup. Here's a guide.
What are momos?
Momos are dumplings from the Himalayas. They're thin wheat-flour wrappers pleated around a filling, then steamed, fried or served in broth. They're eaten across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Indian Himalayan regions of Sikkim, Darjeeling and Ladakh. Over the past few decades they've also become a staple street food in Delhi and across North India.
Momos are believed to have come to Nepal from Tibet, through trade between Tibetan and Newar merchants in the Kathmandu Valley. Over time, Nepali cooks made them their own, with spicier fillings and a whole range of dipping sauces.
Tibetan vs. Nepali momos
The two traditions are closely related but a little different:
- Tibetan momos tend to be larger, with a thicker wrapper and a simple, juicy filling of meat (traditionally yak or beef), onion, garlic and ginger. They're served with a chilli sauce (sepen) and sometimes a clear broth.
- Nepali momos are usually smaller, with thinner wrappers and more heavily spiced fillings, often including cumin, coriander, Sichuan pepper (timur) and fresh herbs. They're served with a tomato-based achar, a tangy dipping sauce made from roasted tomatoes, sesame and chilli.
Fillings
- Chicken: the most common in North America.
- Buff: water buffalo, the classic in Kathmandu. It's hard to find in the US and Canada.
- Goat, lamb, pork or beef, depending on the kitchen.
- Vegetable: usually cabbage, carrot, onion and sometimes tofu or paneer.
- Cheese or paneer: especially in Indian-run momo shops.
Ways to eat them
Steamed
The original, and still the best way to judge a kitchen. The wrapper should be thin but not tear, and the filling should be juicy. Eat them whole, dipped in achar.
Fried (kothey)
Pan-fried on one side like a potsticker, or deep-fried all over for a crunchier, heavier dumpling.
Jhol momo
A Nepali speciality. Steamed momos are served in a bowl of warm, soupy, spiced sauce (jhol) made from tomato, sesame, soybean and timur. It's tangy, a little numbing and very comforting in winter. If you see it on a menu, order it.
C-momo (chilli momo)
Steamed or fried momos tossed in a sticky, spicy sauce with peppers and onion, in the style of Indo-Chinese chilli chicken. It comes from the Nepali and Indian street-food scene.
Tandoori momo
An Indian twist: momos marinated in yoghurt and tandoori spices, then roasted in a tandoor or oven. They're popular at North Indian momo shops.
Thukpa
Not a momo, but you'll find it on the same menu. It's a Himalayan noodle soup with vegetables and meat, and sometimes momos floating in it.
How to order
- Order a mix. One plate steamed and one jhol or C-momo is a good way to start.
- Ask for the achar. A good momo shop makes its own, and the sauce is half the dish.
- Eat them hot. Like most dumplings, momos are best in the first few minutes.
- Use your hands or chopsticks. Both are fine.
Where to find momos
Himalayan food is well represented in several of the cities we cover:
- Chicago, IL: Momo Factory in River North, Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen near the Loop, Gorkha Kitchen in Lincoln Park and Cumin in Lakeview all serve momos, and many Indian restaurants in the city have Nepali cooks and menus.
- Toronto, ON: Parkdale is the centre of Toronto's Tibetan community and the best place in the city for momos. Delhi Momos on Bond Street serves North Indian-style momos.
- Brampton, ON: Delhi Momos also has a downtown Brampton location.
- Fremont, CA: several restaurants serve momos alongside Indian and Indo-Chinese menus.
- Houston, TX: Everest Curry Bar and Gurkhaas Grill bring Nepali influences to Indian menus.