Making momoko achar

If you need to name one fast food that every Nepali loves then it would definitely be the momos. Those yummy meat filled dumplings indeed are great treats all year round. People could have their own choice of filling like lamb meat, chicken meat, buff or even vegetables and paneer (farm cheese) which makes it even more popular.



However, what makes those dumplings tastier is the spicy chutney, popularly known as momoko achar. Even if we are able to make momos at home, or bring a frozen pack and steam it, it would not serve our temptation completely without the achar. Hence, here is the recipe to make the yummy and spicy momoko achar.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes

1 cup sesame seeds

1 cup chopped cilantro

5 minced fresh red chilies

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tsp timur (Szechwan pepper)

¼ tsp asafetida (hing)

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp lime jest

Salt to taste

Procedure:

First of all, roast the tomatoes in oven for about 30 minutes or until it is charred. If you do not use oven, as most of the Nepali household doesn’t, you could also use a frying pan to do it or roast it directly on the gas stove at low heat. Then, remove the charred skin and put the tomatoes in a bowl.

Now, heat a pan, add sesame seeds, cumin and mustard seeds and stir it continuously until the seeds are toasted but be careful not to burn them. Then, put the heat out and let the seeds cool down. Grind the toasted seeds into a powder when they are cool enough.

Finally, take out a blender and put roasted tomatoes along with the ground mixture of the seeds, chopped cilantro, chilies, garlic, ginger, timur, hing, lime jest and lime juice, and salt into it and process them into a smooth mixture. Check if the paste is good enough and if it is too thick, you could also add some water. Now, pour the achar into those cute little achar bowls and serve it with steaming momos.