Nepali Chicken Momo

Ingredients

• 400g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the dough
• About 220ml warm water, for the dough
• 500g minced chicken thigh, roughly 20 percent fat
• 1 large onion, very finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 4cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 1 tsp timur (Sichuan pepper), ground
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp salt, for the filling
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for the filling
• 4 ripe tomatoes, for the achar
• 4 dried red chillies, for the achar
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds, for the achar
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled, for the achar
• 2cm piece ginger, for the achar
• 1 tsp salt, for the achar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, for the achar

Before you cook

• Chop the onion and spring onions as finely as you can, then squeeze out excess liquid in your hands.
• Grate the garlic and ginger for the filling.
• Line a steamer basket with baking paper punched with holes, or oil it well.

Steps

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and add the warm water a little at a time, bringing it together into a firm dough.
2. Knead the dough on the worktop for 8 minutes until it is smooth and springs back slowly when pressed, then cover it and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Combine the minced chicken, onion, spring onions, garlic, ginger, timur, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt, chopped coriander and oil in a bowl.
4. Mix the filling with your hand for 2 minutes until it becomes slightly sticky and holds together, then chill it while you roll the wrappers.
5. For the achar, set a dry pan over a high heat and char the whole tomatoes and unpeeled garlic for 10 minutes, turning until blistered and blackened in patches.
6. Toast the sesame seeds and dried chillies in the same pan for 2 minutes until the seeds pop and smell nutty.
7. Blend the charred tomatoes, peeled garlic, sesame seeds, chillies, ginger, salt and lemon juice to a coarse sauce and set it aside.
8. Divide the rested dough into 24 pieces and roll each into a ball.
9. Roll each ball into a 9cm circle, keeping the centre slightly thicker than the edge so the base does not tear.
10. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper.
11. Pleat the edge with your thumb and forefinger, working around the circle and pinching each fold against the last, then twist the top closed.
12. Set the finished momo on a floured tray and cover it with a cloth while you shape the rest.
13. Bring the water in the steamer base to a rolling boil.
14. Arrange the momo in the basket with a finger's width between them so they do not fuse.
15. Steam covered for 12 to 14 minutes, until the wrappers turn glossy and translucent and feel dry to a light touch.
16. Lift the momo out with a spoon and serve them straight from the steamer with the tomato achar.