Homemade Jhol Momo (Nepalese Soup Dumplings)

Homemade Jhol Momo are Nepalese Soup Dumplings and they’re totally delicious. The jhol sauce is a tomato-based sauce with a load of aromatics and the dumplings have a juicy chicken filling. These momo dumplings really are worth the time and effort! I hope you love them as much as I do!

What’s The Difference between Momo and Jhol Momo?

Momo are a traditional dumpling eaten across the Himalayas from Nepal to Tibet to India. There are a variety of ways to prepare it depending on the location. Regular homemade momo are served steamed and dry with an achaar sauce – they’re a classic street food option. Jhol momo are steamed and served in a delicious bold spicy saucy soup called Jhol.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the wrappers: we’re making the dumpling wrappers from scratch. They’re made from flour and water and come together really easily. If you don’t have time to make the dough, feel free to buy circular wrappers from your local supermarket or Asian store.

For the chicken filling: I love to make momo with a chicken filling. Chicken thighs provide a higher level of fat content compared to chicken breast which is great when steaming as the chicken stays juicy and doesn’t dry out. For the filling, you’ll also need spring onions (scallions), red onion, coriander (cilantro), ginger, garlic, garam masala, and cumin powder. You could sub out the scallions with chives. Instead of chicken, you could use ground extra firm tofu for a vegan alternative.

For the jhol sauce: there are dozens of ways to make this sauce. It varies greatly on personal preferences and regional traditions. This recipe I’ve created is based on the ingredients I believe will be the most accessible to you, so you can make this without having to go on the hunt for a number of ingredients. We’ve got fresh tomatoes, red chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander (cilantro), toasted sesame seeds, chicken broth, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients.

Step by Step Instructions with Photos

Step 1: In a large bowl, add in the flour, and gradually add in the water, while stirring with chopsticks or a fork at the same time. Stir continuously until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 2: Begin kneading the dough until a ball forms. Keep kneading for another thirty seconds – the dough shouldn’t stick to your hands, if it is, add in more flour. Once you’ve formed a ball of dough, wrap in clingfilm and set it aside while you make your filling.

Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped or ground chicken, chopped spring onions, chopped red onion, chopped coriander (cilantro), grated ginger, minced garlic, garam masala, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Mix thoroughly to combine, then set aside.

Step 4: Dust your surface with plain flour, then knead your dough for 30 seconds. Poke a hole through the centre of the dough and form the dough into a doughnut shape. Slice through to break the circle and form the dough into a log. Slice the log into 18-20 equal pieces.

Step 5: Grab a piece of dough, press down on it with the palm of your hand, then using a rolling pin, roll the wrapper into a circle around 3 inches in diameter. Repeat for all the wrappers.

Step 6: Place a spoonful of the filling into the centre of the wrapper and then pinch the dough and rotate with a pinching motion. Watch the video for a better tutorial. Repeat for all momo dumplings.

Step 6: Place a circular piece of parchment paper onto your steamer, and then arrange your momo into the steamer. Steam for 8 minutes.

Step 7: Meanwhile, make your jhol momo sauce by frying off your tomatoes in a pan with some vegetable oil on medium heat. After a couple of minutes add in the red chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt. Fry for another 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender and combine with sugar, coriander (cilantro), toasted sesame seeds, chicken broth and lemon juice. Taste and season according to your preference.

Step 8: Once your dumplings are cooked, divide the jhol momo sauce between 3-4 bowls. Top the sauce with the momo dumplings. Garnish with chili oil and coriander (cilantro). Enjoy!!!

What To Do with Leftovers

Got leftover meat filling? Fry it up and sprinkle it on top of the dumplings and jhol sauce.

Freezing: If you’d like to freeze these dumplings and heat them up on another day, place them on parchment paper on a tray and into the freezer. Once partially frozen, add them to a container and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Steam from frozen for 10 minutes.

FAQs

Can I make these vegan?

For sure. Replace the chicken with extra firm tofu, mashed. Sub out the chicken stock for a veggie stock cube.

Can I pan fry momo dumplings?

Yes. Drizzle some oil into a hot pan on medium heat and place in the dumplings. Add around 75ml water into the frying pan and place on the lid. Cook for 8 minutes on low-medium heat.

Can I double the recipe?

For sure! Double the whole ingredients list!

If you tried this Homemade Jhol Momo Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!