Jhol Momo (Vegan and Gluten-Free)
Years ago, while exploring the North Market in Columbus, Ohio, I discovered a new food: Johl Momo. These Himalayan dumplings, traditionally filled with savory ingredients and served in a spicy broth, were so comforting and delicious. After removing gluten from my diet, I was determined to recreate this dish to be gluten-free, without sacrificing flavor and authenticity.
Bite-Sized History
The origins of momos are somewhat mysterious, with debates surrounding their spread between Nepal and Tibet. In Tibet, momos were hearty, often stuffed with yak meat, potatoes, and cheese, while Nepalese momos often featured vegetable fillings to accommodate Hindu vegetarian diets.
Ingredients
Categorized for easy shopping list creation:
| PRODUCE | |
|---|---|
| serrano pepper | 1 |
| shredded cabbage and carrots (coleslaw mix) | 2 cups |
| cilantro | 4 sprigs |
| tomatoes | 4, medium sized |
| garlic | 4 cloves |
| ginger | 2 inches |
| onions | 2, medium sized |
| golden potatoes | 3 |
| DRY GOODS | |
|---|---|
| white rice flour | 172 grams |
| tapioca starch | 50 grams |
| vegetable broth | 2 cups |
| olive oil | 4 tablespoons |
| coconut aminos | 1 teaspoon |
| SPICES | |
|---|---|
| bay leaves | 4 |
| sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| red chili powder | 1 teaspoon |
| cumin powder | 4 tablespoons |
| coconut aminos | 1 teaspoon |
| cloves | 4 |
| cardamom pods | 2 |
| cinnamon stick | 1 |
Cooking Tips
You’ll steam these momos using any type of steamer—just be sure to line it with a steam liner or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking. If you’re using a steamer with two racks, place the momos on both the top and bottom racks. Steam them for 10 minutes, then swap the racks and steam for another 4 minutes to ensure even cooking.
The dough recipe is adapted from Happy Healthy Homemade on YouTube. Watch her video to see how she does it!
Folding momos can be challenging. Various folding methods are demonstrated in this video. If you find them too complex, you can always opt for a simpler approach by folding the dough in half and pinching it until sealed.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that these momos aren’t suited for a quick weeknight dinner. Expect to spend approximately 2 hours for the preparation and cooking process. To save time on the day of cooking, prepare the filling and jhol sauce ahead of time. The effort is worthwhile to enjoy this delicious meal!
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Jhol Momo (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Bamboo or Stainless Steel Steamer Amazon.com: Helen's Asian Kitchen Food Steamer
- Digital Scale Amazon.com: Etekcity 0.1g Food Kitchen Scale
- Adjustable Height Rolling Pin Amazon.com: Rolling Pin With 4 Adjustable Thickness Rings
Ingredients
Dough
- 172 grams white rice flour
- 50 grams tapioca starch
- 3 grams salt
- 4 grams baking powder
- 10 grams oil any kind
- 130 grams boiling hot water about 2/3 cup
Filling
- 1 cup golden potatoes roughly mashed, 2-3 potatoes
- 1 cup cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- .5 tablespoon ginger peeled, minced
- 1 cup onion any variety, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
Jhol Sauce: these ingredients will be blended
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 4 tomatoes, medium sized roughly chopped
- 1 cup onion roughly chopped
- .5 tablespoon ginger peeled, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 4 cilantro sprigs + more for serving
- 1 serrano pepper roughly chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- 1/4 teaspoon Indian red chili powder more or less (very spicy — substitute cayenne or omit for mild)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
For a more flavorful, soup-like sauce, add these ingredients
- 4 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Steam the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until soft. Roughly mash in a medium mixing bowl. This bowl will be used again in step 3.1 cup golden potatoes
- While the potatoes steam, prep the vegetables: shred the cabbage and carrots (if not already), mince the garlic and ginger, and finely chop the onion.2 cloves garlic, .5 tablespoon ginger, 1 cup cabbage, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup onion
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add all prepped vegetables and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to the bowl with the mashed potatoes and mix until well combined.1 tablespoon oil
Make the Jhol Sauce
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and serrano pepper. These will be blended after cooking. If you’re using extra cilantro for garnish, chop and set it aside now.4 tomatoes, medium sized, 1 cup onion, .5 tablespoon ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1 serrano pepper, 4 cilantro sprigs
- Measure the spices into a small bowl: red chili powder, cumin, coconut aminos, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves.1/4 teaspoon Indian red chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon coconut aminos, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 bay leaves
- Heat oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat.2 tablespoon oil
- Add the chopped vegetables and spices to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour vegetable broth into a blender.2 cups vegetable broth or water
- Remove the cinnamon stick from the pan. Transfer the remaining contents to the blender. Blend until completely smooth.If your blender can't handle whole spices like cloves or cardamom, strain the sauce before serving.
- Transfer back to the pan to keep warm on the lowest setting.
Make the Dough
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: white rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.For best results, use a scale to measure the dough ingredients.172 grams white rice flour, 50 grams tapioca starch, 3 grams salt, 4 grams baking powder
- Heat water until boiling. Measure the hot water in a scale-tared bowl. Add the oil and stir.10 grams oil, 130 grams boiling hot water
- Add most of the water/oil mixture to the flour and mix with a fork.
- Knead the dough by hand, adding the rest of the liquid gradually until it becomes smooth and soft. Avoid using too much or too little water — dough should be moist but not sticky.
- Form the dough into a ball and divide into four parts. Cover three of them with a damp towel to prevent drying.
- Dust your surface with tapioca flour. Roll one quarter into a ball, then flatten with a rolling pin to about 2–3 mm thick. If the dough sticks, dust with more tapioca flour.
- Cut into circles about 3 inches wide. A drinking glass works well for this.
Fill the Momos
- Fill each dough circle with 1 tablespoon of filling. Don’t overfill or the dough may tear.
- Seal the edges by pinching lengthwise. For a traditional look, keep the bottom flat and the pleated side facing up.
- Place sealed momos on a tray and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.
- If sealing is difficult, dip your finger in water and moisten the dough’s edge before pinching.
- Patch small tears with a touch of water.
- Repeat until all dough is used. If you have help, one person can roll and cut while the other fills and seals.
Steam the Momos
- Prepare your steamer by boiling water and lining the rack(s) with a mat or cabbage leaves.
- Place the momos in the steamer, spaced apart.
- Steam for 14 minutes total. If using a double-rack steamer, do 10 minutes, then switch racks and steam 4 more minutes.
Serve
- Ladle the jhol sauce into a shallow bowl and add the steamed momos. I use 1 cup of jhol + 6 momos per serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Serving size: 1 cup jhol + 6 momos
- Yield: Sauce makes about 5 cups when using vegetable broth
-
Freezer-friendly: Momos can be frozen either before or after steaming.
- To freeze, place on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour or until solid.
- Transfer to a zip-top bag and store until ready to use.
-
To reheat:
- Steam pre-steamed, frozen momos for 14 minutes
- Steam raw, frozen momos for 22 minutes