How to make chicken steamed momos step by step recipe with momo sauce video

Chicken momos recipe – Chicken momos are soft and juicy delicious chicken mince stuffed dumplings cooked by steaming, boiling, frying, or made in tandoor. Today I am going to make street style soft and juicy chicken steamed momos recipe at home with simple ingredients and step by step methods described with pictures.

In India, steamed momos are the most popular snack forever among all street foods, being healthy and tasty. Though momo originated in Tibet however almost all Indian street-side momo vendors are Nepali, Sikkimis, or come from Darjeeling.

In street food stalls sizzling hot steamed chicken momos are served on a plate with a spicy chili garlic sauce or chutney accompanied by Chicken Clear Soup(optional) as a side dish.

Let’s see how easy to make these chicken dumplings at home from scratch.

3 Steps Making Process of Chicken Steamed Momos Recipe

Like other variation of momos, chicken steamed momos recipe also follows the following simple steps:

Step 1: Start with momos chicken filling. Simply mix raw chicken mince (or keema) or shredded boiled chicken with onion, garlic, ginger, soya sauce, salt, & crushed pepper, no more spices, and get momos chicken filling ready.

Step 2: Then come to the momos folding technique, where the stuffing is folded in a flour-based momo sheet or wrapper.

Step 3: Lastly, the cooking process will be ended up by steaming these chicken momos .

Though according to looks, momos (whether made with vegetables or chicken) are quite close to steamed Chinese dumplings “dim sum”.

However, momos and Chinese dim sums are not the same due to containing different ingredients and their different ways of making.

Momo is Tibetan-originated dumplings and has little influence on Chinese soya sauce. And except for chicken, ginger (mostly garlic is not used in dim sum), and soya sauce, there are no common ingredients in making these steamed momos and dim sum. From making momos and dim sum wrappers to fillings differences can be easily noticed.

Though momo is a Tibetan staple food, not of Indian origin. However, in India, momos steamed and fried versions (made with chicken and vegetables) became more popular street-style fast food due to the Nepali momo vendors.

Even I first had chicken momos in Kolkata from a street-side momo stall run by 2 Nepali men. Those steamed dumplings were so soft, juicy, and delicious that easily touched my heart in no time. Well, those Nepali guys put their momo’s stall just near my college, so we often started going there. Since then, these steamed momos turned into my first choice as a healthy evening snack or light food for dinner with chicken clear soup.

While people start making momos at home simply to satisfy their cravings, however, my momo-making story is a little different.

At my home, nobody from my family wants to eat boneless chicken pieces if I add them to a chicken curry. Initially, I used to eat those pieces, though did not feel good to eat the same thing every time.

Then later started storing those raw boneless pieces in the freezer and when I got enough quantity then thought of making some delicious chicken kabab or momos as these dishes are also very much loved by my family. So I decided to make these snack recipes in my kitchen whenever I needed to finish those stored boneless pieces.

Mostly on weekends, I alternatively only started making kabab, rolls, and momos with those chicken pieces left in my freezer.

As kabab is mainly a spicy starter and could not make without using oil so to think of our health, I step back from making dish often. Rather I found to finish those leftover chicken, steamed momos are one of the most healthy and easy snack recipes which I can make at home. Though you can use them in sandwich stuffing, and in making chicken soup or stew recipes.

Chicken momos are considered healthy if it is steamed rather than deep-fried or made in tandoor.

• As it is chicken momos are steamed, no oil is used in its cooking, even I used no oil while making momo’s dough. So momos this variation has very less calories.
• Even while making it at home, I do not use chili or any spices in momos filling so my chicken momo is totally non-spicy too.
• Lastly, the chicken stuffing makes the momos a protein-packed food.

However, some of my North Indian friends said, that momo is not healthy for using flour (maida) to make its dough, as they do not consider maida is good for health.

On the other hand, as per the traditional (used in Tibet and Nepal) method, momos dough aka wrappers can not be prepared without flour.

So if have any problem with flour then make its wrapper either totally replace the maida with atta or whole wheat flour or can alternately take half a half wheat, and flour.

Instead of refined flour or whole wheat flour. Even customised with rice flour, potato starch or tapioca starch, as these ingredients are the healthy options as used in making dim sum dough.

Tips to make Street Style Best Chicken Steamed Momos Recipe at home

Do not Cook the Chicken Mince Before Stuffing –

For making the close version of authentic street-style momos, never cook or fry the chicken keema’s filling while making this momos. If fry the keema or shredded boiled chicken with spices, that not only spoils the original taste of the street momos even also steals the moisture of the filling.

As in street-side momos, ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, and soya sauce is mixed up with raw chicken mince, stuffed in momo’s wrapper, and steamed. This method retains these dumplings moist and makes them juicy without chicken’s smell. That spices and sauce not only help to kill the raw smell of chicken but enhance the flavor and taste of the momos filling too. You will get the same raw chicken mince stuffing whether these dumplings are made by Nepalese, Tibetan, Sikkim, or made by the guys from Darjeeling or Assam, or Kolkata.

However, If you have a serious problem with the smell of raw or uncooked or even boiled chicken, then while making it at home replace them with fried chicken mince or fried shredded boiled chicken with the mixture of the spices and sauce(described in the ingredients below to make momos filling).

Momo’s taste matters more than its shape–

Momo’s shape or folding technique is a form of artwork. I believe other than the creator (Tibetan or Nepali people) of this recipe only the professionals (street side momo vendors) can make it in a proper shape. How they can prepare the momos in a very quick and easy way just by hand but we can not make it at home like them? They can do it because of their regular practice and hard work.

So do not get upset if your momo’s shape does not look good, as it is not your daily job. Even despite making momos (at home) for long years and still, I am still not perfect at making the shapes the street-side momo vendors can easily make. Though momos beautiful shapes always draw our attention more. You can use momos mould easily available in the market.

As you heard the Hindi proverb, “Pehle darshan dhari, phir gun vichari” easily suits best. However, momos taste completely depends on its stuffing, not related to its shape.

How To Steam Chicken Momos Without Using a Steamer –

As chicken momos are not an Indian dish, generally in Indian homes, momo steamer is not easily available. See, when I started making chicken momos then I did not have a momo steamer (though still do not have till today), not even an idli steamer at my home. Then for making momos (both with vegetables or with chicken) I simply use a plain colander(a utensil that comes with lots of holes) greased with oil. That method is also described in this recipe. You can do it in the same way.

If you want to use microwave oven cooking method, then best to use a microwave-proof idli stand to steam these momos. If you are aware of cooking in a rice cooker, then can easily steam your momos by putting them on a rice cooker’s steamer stand. And if you regularly use a pressure cooker, then you can easily boil and steam these chicken dumplings in your cooker. Can make any version at your convenience.

Do Not Overcrowd the Momos in the Steamer–

Must keep some spaces between each momo. That will help to avoid sticking the momos to each other after steaming.

How To Boil Chicken Momos –

People who are single or newly getting married or even bachelors are first-time making momos but do not have a colander at home. They can easily make chicken momos by simply boiling them remain the same texture and moisture as well.

Let’s see how to do it. First, take a pan, and fill it up with water. Use water as per the size of the pan or respect the number of momos you want to cook at a time. Heat the pan, keep the flame low to high, let the water starts boiling, and put the chicken momos in the boiling water. Do not worry, momos would not stick together while boiled in hot water. Chicken momos will be ready just after 10 mins of boiling, gently take the dumplings out from the water with the help of a perforated ladle or a food thong to strain the excess water.

Boiled momos are so delicate easily break as extremely soft and juicy than even the steamed ones. The way likely wonton is made in Chinese restaurants by boiling in chicken stocks.

However, you can boil the chicken momos using a pressure cooker too. First, boil the water (minimum 3-4 cups of water or use water to respect the number of momos you want to pressure cook at a time). Then pour the momos into the boiling water, cover the pressure cooker lid, and cook for 1 whistle on high flame. Gently take out the momos one by one when the cooker automatically releases its pressure.

Through the boiling method (in a pan and pressure cooker), anyone can make chicken momos with the first attempt.

If you love street-style momos then must try this steamed chicken momos at home and please share your valuable comments and feedback about this recipe. Can make it for dinner or in evening snack.

Hope my simple step by step recipe and tips will guide you best to make these chicken snacks at home. If you have any questions about this recipe, you may write them down in my comment section below the end of the blog post.

Being a vegetarian you can also check my VEG MOMOS RECIPE and must try it along with my Street style MOMO CHUTNEY RECIPE.

You may also serve these chicken steamed momos as an appetizer with my main course recipes like

CHINESE VEG FRIED RICE,

VEG NODDLES, and

CHILLI CHICKEN RECIPE at dinner for your family and friends.

How to make Chicken Steamed Momos Recipe Step By Step with detailed pictures

Preparation

Step 1 – How to make Chicken Mince(Keema) for momo’s chicken filling

• Use 350 grams of raw chicken mince or keema (ready-made or homemade) or shredded boiled chicken to make chicken momos filling.

• How to make chicken mince at home, first, wash and clean the chicken pieces, pat them dry, and cut the chicken into small pieces.
• Then either grind the meat or make its mince or keema by chopping the chicken pieces with a sharp knife or chopper perfect for chicken momos filling. As shown in the picture below.
• How to make shredded boiled chicken, first boil the chicken in a pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp salt. Separate the chicken by straining the water and storing the chicken stock(later use in making chicken soup), and finely chop or shred the boiled chicken pieces by hand to use it in chicken momos filling.

• Once the chicken mince/keema is ready, keep it aside in a mixing bowl for later use.

Step 2 – How to make Chicken momos Filling

• For making chicken momos filling, mix 2 tsp chopped ginger, 2 tsp chopped garlic, 1+ 1/2 tbsp chopped onion, 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp white/black pepper powder with minced chicken meat.

• Then mix all the ingredients well and momos chicken filling is ready.
• Cover this chicken filling with a plate and keep the bowl aside.

Step 3 – How to Prepare Momos Dough

• Take 2 cups of all-purpose flour or Plain maida, and add 3/4 tsp of salt to it. Mix all ingredients well.

• Then take hot water and gradually mix it with the flour and start kneading it.
• Knead it until a little soft and smooth dough is made.
• For making this soft dough I have used about one and a half cups of hot water.

• Once momos dough is ready either cover the bowl with a tight lid or use the cling wrap to make it soft. Keep it aside for at least 30 mins.

Step 4 – How To Shape Chicken Momos By Hand

• After half an hour, first, take the dough and divide it into a few strips.
• Then cut the strips into small portions and turn those small portions of dough into small lemon size balls. Sprinkle flour on it.

• Take a rolling pin, and start rolling those flour dusted lemon size doughs.
• Turn those doughs into a thin round disk by dusting flour on the rolling board or on the kitchen table.

• Take such a disk on your palm, and put a spoon full of stuffing in the center of it.

• Now start folding the momos by hand.
• First, take both edges of the disk/wrapper and make a hard pinch to close its end as directed in the picture below.

• Then make each pleate with your left fingertip and join its end with the last pleat by pressing it with the right fingertip. As shown in the picure below.

• Keep continuing the method of making the pleats and joining them together, and lastly close the ends of the wrapper to perfectly fold this dumpling.
• Follow each step as shown in the pictures below.

• Stuffed chicken dumplings are ready with their perfect shape. Now it is time to steam up.

Step 5 – How To Steam Momos (with or without using Momo steamer)

For steaming chicken momos, either use a momo steamer or a plain colander (which you have at home). Though I used an idli stand.

• Take a plain colander pan (if do not have any steamer) or the colander tray used in momo steamer or in idli stand.
• Grease it with 2 teaspoons of white refined oil/vegetable oil(to avoid sticking), and arrange the momos on it.
• Or to make it oil-free, instead of greasing, put cabbage leaves or banana leaves on the steamer or colander before arranging momos on it.

• Put water into the momo steamer/idli stand.
• If you do not have the steamer, put a water-filled pan. Then place it on the gas stove top.

• When the water starts boiling and releasing the steam, then place the momo-filled colander on the steamer. Cover it tightly.

• Let steam the momos on low flame for 18 -20 mins.
• After 18-20 mins, street-style soft & juicy steamed chicken momos will be ready.
• Then carefully take out the momos(as it is soft and delicate) from the steamer or colander.

• When the rest of the momos are steamed up, serve the sizzling chicken momos with momo chutney or spicy chili garlic chutney dipping sauce.