Enroute the Flavour Paths of Momos: Mongolia-Azerbaijan- India

Posted by Sujit BIswal on November 10th, 2022

One lazy summer afternoon, upon a cooking program on TV where a woman who had a Russian accent and appearance was creating what appeared to be momos. These were roughly twice as large as the momos served from multi-layered aluminum steamers in almost every metropolitan Indian market, but they still had a substantial appearance. Only she referred to them as khinkali. A few influential people made the fruitless request to outlaw momos a month later after labeling them a health risk. The Dalai Lama is undoubtedly the most adored Tibetan in India. Still, this attack on him led me to take a closer look at the steamed dumplings that have grown so popular among Indians, who typically prefer their appetizers deep-fried.

Whether the momo originated in Nepal or Tibet, it has now fully been Indianized. The only kid of a food-loving Bengali acquaintance is named Momo, and clever merchants have unavoidably combined and customized two wildly popular fast foods to create the tandoori momo, a deserving addition to the genre of fusion dishes that also includes Chinese chaat, chili paneer, and Szechwan idlis.

However, the Russian-looking TV chef's khinkali indicated a larger community of momo nations, indicating that further investigation was necessary. Some of the avatars were obvious: Italian momos are nothing more than Chinese momos, and Japanese gyoza and Chinese jiaozi are just sophisticated momos. However, the momo or dumpling's reputation is far broader, and it's Tibetan or Nepali provenance might not be valid.

Invasion of Genghis Khan and the Spread of Khinkali

The Georgian momo, known as Khinkali, is a good spot to begin tracing the dumpling. As is customary, the Chinese have a "legend" that a mutton and pepper jiaozi was created by a renowned physician as a treatment for frostbite. Whatever the case, people who are familiar with how the Mongol invasions under Genghis Khan developed would notice that the momo spread corresponds to the way his hordes moved through eastern and northeastern Europe as well as through the far east, central, and west Asia.

Tug of War: Mongols and Afghans

So, is the momo a remnant of the Mongols? What else might account for the fact that Afghans, who live half a continent to the west, have a dish called mantou that sounds deceptively similar to momo-like dumplings but actually resembles tortellini? But the Afghan mantou, which is a steamed bun, is very different from the Chinese mantou.

In actuality, there are two types of momo in Afghanistan: the mantou, which is filled with meat and onions and served with a chana-dal-yogurt sauce, and the ashak, which originates from Kabul and is stuffed with chives and served with yogurt, rajma, and minced lamb. It is also not unexpected that Uzbekistan, its neighbor to the north, has a dish called a momo-manti that is similar, but more free-form and less tortellini-like, with the same chana-dal topping.

Given that rajma, chana dal, tomatoes, and yogurt are also favorites in India, it is admirable that the Afghan-Uzbek mantou/manti have not supplanted the Tibetan (or Nepali!) momo there. Actually, in India, the mantou should have come first. Prior to the Mughals' control in the Middle Ages, the Afghans made no effort to promote this aspect of their cuisine.

The Georgian khinkali is thicker, heavier, and meatier than the delicate mantou and ashak. It is also juicy because more broth is released into the dumpling during steaming because the meat filling is combined with water. Local custom dictates a tactful nip to first suck out the soup before consuming the remainder. This type can be found all over the Caucasus, in countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan.

India appears to be a latecomer to the transcontinental momo party, in contrast. One version undoubtedly arrived in 1959 with the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan people and thrived in Tibetan dhabas, but it wasn't until around 20 years ago that it gained widespread popularity. The second form spread through Nepal. That we have given the illustrious momo story our unique spin with paneer and tandoori is simply apt.

Be it Mongol or Azerbaijan, momos have traveled and transcended their flavors and have instilled the zeal for customization of momos among countries. Somewhere it is mantou and somewhere it is momo-manti. We might be divided by language, culture, and religion but it is this momo and its culinary excellency that has kept us tied in one knot. If you want to experience the best of momos with the privilege of customization of your own momo recipes then MomoWay Nepal is the place for you. Enjoy lip-smacking and authentic momo recipes at an affordable price. Order momos online or visit us in your nearest store.