Everyday is a Dumpling Day

In our opinion, the mother of all dumplings. They are originated in  Tibet – okay, historically speaking, that’s debatable. 

 

In Tibetan highland cattle, the filling originally came from yak. Or sheep. The meat was chopped by hand. Or minced. Here, we use beef or lamb or both, mixed together.

While traveling in Asia, Europe, and the US, I discovered these dishes, which are now part of the standard fare everywhere. You can even find them in the bar of a five-star Hotels. Club sandwiches, burgers, pizza, and, of late, momos, of course. All-time classics.

 

But it’s momos, the culinary hipsters that are ubiquitous in Asia, that everyone wants to have tried.

 

My recipe comes from Amala, my mother.

1000 g flour – 550 g water – 750 g ground beef – 250 g chopped spring onions – 13 g salt – 2 g pepper – 5 tablespoons water – fold – steam for 13 minutes.

 

In my opinion, the filling should only contain meat, salt, pepper, onions and, if necessary, a little water. It is important to add the green parts of young onions, finely chopped. Thin rounds of dough are rolled out and filled. Sometimes with yeast, sometimes without. These rounds are placed in the palm of the hand and the delicately seasoned meat is pressed into the middle. Skillfully sealed by hand, they are placed in the perforated steamer oiled trays. The steamer trays are then stacked on top of each other in the pot. They are placed over the broth, which has been simmering with bones for hours. 

 

At a large banquet in a professional kitchen, you feel like you are standing in front of a skyline of pans. The steam makes you feel like you are in the urban canyons of New York.

 

Momos, as they are commonly known, were not always traditional throughout Tibet, but were actually more common in eastern Tibet. In Amdo, the birthplace of angrymonk, the Gendün Chöphel whom I revere. That was in the past. Today, they can be found in central Tibet as well as in Kham.

 

My mother taught us other variations:

     – Ping momos / ting momos (steamed yeast momos) filled with glass noodles, minced meat, and chives

    – Ting momos – artfully folded steamed buns coated with turmeric

    – Veg momos – with potato filling (pakora) or spinach, cabbage, and turnips

                                             No-gos – Dumpling for Dummies

There is no denying that there are misguided interpretations of authentic cuisine, which give dummies the impression that this is true innovation.

⁃      Yeshey La from Sikkim told me that the local Pizza Hut in Gangtok, Sikkim, now serves pizza topped with momos. It’s all the rage among Indian tourists from Goa to Kolkata.

 

⁃    Momos with chicken tandoori filling on another menu in Gangtok were also shocking. “Tibetan Sha Momos”?

 

– I don’t even want to talk about chocolate momos, let alone momos with black dough and questionable fillings – monkey business.

                                                 Dumplings rocking around the world

They are eaten all over the world. With butter, black vinegar, soy sauce, tomato and mushroom sauces, and often with a separate spicy condiment. The secret lies in the “SOMETHING” that is wrapped in the dough. The variations in the dough are almost as diverse as the fillings. With sea food, meat, vegetables, or a mixture of everything. The moment the dough clings to the “FILLING”, the dumpling is born.

                                                   Meatballs are naked dumplings

 

Whether boiled, steamed, fried, deep-fried like spring rolls, or raw like summer rolls in Vietnam, the filling is not complete without the “DRUM AROUND IT,” the wrappers.       

The Mongolians Buuz (Бууз) 

Traditionally, mutton is used, but other types of meat are also possible.

For Mongolians, meat that is high in fat is considered good meat

                                                                   Gyoza

The whole of Asia has influenced each other fruitfully when it comes to food. Rather terrible in terms of politics – Japan probably was introduced Gyoza from China.

                                                             Jaozi

a Chinese dumpling dish known as gyōza in Japan Mandu in Korea. 

                                                         European Dumplings

                                                Maultaschen  Swabian/Germany

                                                          Pierogi Eastern Europe 

                                                          Vareniki Russia

                                                          Manti Turkey

ITALY Agnolotti

These are not called Ravioli, in northern Italy, Piedmont. It is said that in Piedmont, as much egg yolk is added to the flour for the dough until a firm pasta dough is formed. The cholesterol hysterics then shout hallelujah. Where is the health? The agnolotti square not round, the agnolotti del pling require a unique folding technique. Elsewhere, as in Emilia Romagna, the Italian dumplings may be called ravioli or capeletti. The smallest are suitable for brodo in the form of tortellini. The filling – mamma mia – whether rabbit meat, spicy pecorino or simply old roast meat? Getting a clear opinion on this from an Italian would be like trying to test every wine and every grappa according to Iso Norm.

                                                    

  Don Giovanni

When my friend Don Giovanni asked me for a ravioli dough recipe, I gave him Mama Dolores’. She was a famous master of robes who taught me pumpkin ravioli. 

He thanked us and created his ravioli. When asked about the filling, he replied: 

                                                  

Gala cheese! (Swiss Cheese)

                                                      Tortellonorio

Racvioli Dough – Donna Dolores

In this recipe, the water is slowly added to the flour while it is still boiling. This causes it to swell slightly. When the eggs are added, the result is a dough that is very elastic instead of crumbly. Only through such a dough, rolled out wafer-thin, can a newspaper be read. 

I was so impressed that I took the liberty of putting it on my menu at the restaurant as 

angrymonk – Dumplings & Breakfast Lounge 2003