Nepal
Why did we chose Nepal?
We wanted to make Nepalese food as their food manners is very different from eating. We wanted to creare authentic food and eat it with our hands like Nepalese people do. The Nepalese consider that food and eating are all divine and food should be eaten in a joyful manner. Most Nepalese use their fingers to eat and using spoons and forks is not common. Mini History Nepal is a landlocked country found in the heart of the Himalayas in south Asis, is full of culture and tradition. The country has eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains within its borders, including the world’s tallest mountain, Everest. Although Hindu is the main religion, Nepal is thought to be the birthplace of Buddha. |
DISHES
The Nepalese consider that food and eating are all divine and food should be eaten in a joyful manner. The most common custom in Nepal is jutho, which translates as “contaminated” and requires people not to touch others’ food and drink with either their hands or their spoon. When drinking water for example, Nepalese people will not touch the bottle or glass to their lips so that others can drink from it also. Another custom is the idea that the foot is ritually dirty and therefore stepping over food or pointing the soles of your feet is disrespectful. Don’t eat off someone else’s plate or offer anyone food you have taken a bite out of.
MOMO
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground meat ( do not add for vegan dish)
1 Red onion finely chopped
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup green onion, finely chopped
3 cup ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
¼ tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoon curry powder, or momo masala if available
3 fresh red chilies, minced (or to taste)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
salt and pepper
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground meat ( do not add for vegan dish)
1 Red onion finely chopped
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup green onion, finely chopped
3 cup ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
¼ tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoon curry powder, or momo masala if available
3 fresh red chilies, minced (or to taste)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
salt and pepper
Fillings (For vegan add the same the vegetables but leave the meat out) In a non-stick pan heat oil, splitter fenugreek until it turns dark. Add chopped onions and saute until just slightly light brown. Add turmeric, garlic, ginger, and chilies. Fry for 30 sec. Put vegetables and stir-fry until slightly soft. Do NOT over stir-fry the vegetables. Salt and pepper the vegetable mixture. Add cheese, green onions and cilantro, mix well. To solidify the vegetable mixture, add one tablespoon of flour-water mixture. Mix the mass over until thickened. Transfer the vegetable filling into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow cooling. |
Assembly
Give the dough a final knead. Prepare 1-in. dough balls. Take a ball, roll between your palms to spherical shape. Dust working board with dry flour. On the board gently flatten the ball with your palm to about 2-in circle. Make a few semi-flattened circles, cover with a bowl. Use a rolling pin to roll out each flattened circle into a wrapper. For well executed MOMOs, it is essential that the middle portion of the wrapper be slightly thicker than the edges to ensure the structural integrity of dumplings during packing and steaming. Hold the edges of the semi-flattened dough with one hand and with the other hand begin rolling the edges of the dough out, swirling a bit at a time. Continue until the wrapper attains 3-in diameter circular shape. Repeat with the remaining few semi-flattened dough. Cover with bowl to prevent from drying.
For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of the filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the center, making the pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling. This holds the key to good tasting, juicy dumplings.
Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well. This is critical because it will prevent dumplings from sticking. Arrange uncooked MOMOs in the steamer. Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 8-10 min. Take the dumplings off the steamer, and immediately serve. To serve, arrange the cooked MOMOs on a plate dressed with an ample amount of hot tomato achar.
Give the dough a final knead. Prepare 1-in. dough balls. Take a ball, roll between your palms to spherical shape. Dust working board with dry flour. On the board gently flatten the ball with your palm to about 2-in circle. Make a few semi-flattened circles, cover with a bowl. Use a rolling pin to roll out each flattened circle into a wrapper. For well executed MOMOs, it is essential that the middle portion of the wrapper be slightly thicker than the edges to ensure the structural integrity of dumplings during packing and steaming. Hold the edges of the semi-flattened dough with one hand and with the other hand begin rolling the edges of the dough out, swirling a bit at a time. Continue until the wrapper attains 3-in diameter circular shape. Repeat with the remaining few semi-flattened dough. Cover with bowl to prevent from drying.
For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of the filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the center, making the pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling. This holds the key to good tasting, juicy dumplings.
Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well. This is critical because it will prevent dumplings from sticking. Arrange uncooked MOMOs in the steamer. Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 8-10 min. Take the dumplings off the steamer, and immediately serve. To serve, arrange the cooked MOMOs on a plate dressed with an ample amount of hot tomato achar.
LASSI
Ingrdients
2 cups plain or Greek-style yogurt
1 cup milk
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon sugar
Sprinkle salt
2 cups ice
Ingrdients
2 cups plain or Greek-style yogurt
1 cup milk
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon sugar
Sprinkle salt
2 cups ice
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.