Every cook wants to expand beyond the same old baked chicken and fried fish recipes. Yet many are afraid to even try to experiment for fear of culinary failure. In this exhilarating cookbook, Fearless Chef Andy Husbands teams with Boston Globe writer Joe Yonan to take you on a wild ride to the edge of American cuisine. Husbands and Yonan help you make over your cooking style by introducing the best and boldest flavors from all over the world, making even ordinary staples such as meat loaf and
At Tremont 647 these delectable momos are such a popular signature dish that we have had momo chef, Tsering Dongshi, cranking out hundreds of them every night; in our first five years, we sold a cool million of them. Tsering is from Tibet, where he says they make and eat versions of these little dumplings that are not so little, but we prefer them bite-sized, That way, you can easily be eating one while you dip the next one into the Soy Sake Sauce.
Makes about 25 bite-sized momos
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 pound ground pork or turkey
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon peeled and minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped red or white onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water
In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients and mix until fully combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
When ready to shape the momos, make the dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Gradually 0dd just enough warm water until the sough comes together in a soft, not sticky, ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut off about 1/4 of the dough; cover the remaining dough and set aside. Roll the piece of dough between your hands to form a 2-inch- wide log, and cut the log into sections about as big as a small walnut.
Flatten one small piece of dough with the heel of your hand, then use a rolling pin to form it into a 4-inch disk. Rotate the disk counterclockwise after each roll to keep it circular, rolling from the center out and making the edges as thin as possible.
Turn your left hand palm up and lay the circle of dough across your slightly bent fingers. With your right hand, scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough. Press your left thumb gently on top of the filling and hold it there while you shape the dough with your right hand.
Think of the disk of dough as the face of a clock. Use your right thumb and first two fingers to pinch together one edge of the dough firmly at 3 o’clock. Draw in the dough from the 2 o’clock position, and pinch it tightly against the first pinch to make two adjacent folds in the dough. (This is the beginning of what will look like a drawstring bag.) As you draw the third pinch of dough (from 1 o’clock), rotate the dumpling toward you slightly, so the pinched folds stay in the 3 o’clock position. Don’t forget to keep your left thumb lightly pressed on top of the filling.
As you continue to add tight folds, the dough will start to enclose your left thumb. When you can’t pinch any more folds, take your thumb out, gently grasp the top of the folds with the tips of your fingers, and twist lightly to seal the dumpling and accentuate the swirl design.
Repeat with the remaining circles of dough. Try to keep your folds small and neat. Don’t give up if they aren’t perfect right away; your momos will get prettier with practice. (If you just cannot get the hang of forming these dumplings, form them into half-moons instead.) Filled momos will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day, but they are best steamed right away.
When all the momos have been formed, spray the insides of a large steamer basket with nonstick cooking spray (or lightly oil the surface). Arrange the momos in the basket in a single layer, side by side but not touching. Place the steamer over, not in, a pan of boiling water (the water should not touch the momos), and cover tightly. Steam until the momos have swelled and the dough is firm and no longer tacky to the touch, about 15 minutes.
Serve with Soy Sake Sauce (recipe follows), chili-garlic paste, sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce.
SOY SAKE SAUCE (makes 2 cups)
Every sushi lover knows that ubiquitous soy sauce can be heavy and way too salty. Add sake and water, though, and it’s light and flowery. Use as a dipping sauce for Tibetan Momos, fresh vegetables, and grilled meat and fish. Or marinate chicken or steak strips for 30 minutes in it before skewering and grilling, for an elegant twist on teriyaki.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sake
1 cup water
I scallion, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Keeps for up to 1 week refrigerated in an airtight container.
