MOMO / POT STICKERS

Dumplings are my favourite, be it of any kind, any nationality. Tonight is Momo night, because it has totally been a 'bangali-r Khichuri ar Ilish bhaja' weather the whole day. But for me, it is momo for the mouth, and chicken soup for the soul! Now tonight, these momos aren't momos, but POT STICKERS. If you thought steaming was easy, wait till you read on..

INGREDIENTS:

• Flour,

• Water,

• Vegetable oil,

• Salt, 

• Freshly ground Black Pepper,

• Chicken - minced,

• Cabbage - finely chopped,

• Onions - finely chopped,

• Carrots - finely chopped (nobody uses, but I do. You may avoid),

• Ginger - finely chopped,

• Garlic - finely chopped,

• Spring Onions - the white and the green part, thinly sliced (if using, put lesser of the regular onion),

• Sugar,

• Vinegar,

• Maggi Chicken seasoning cubes - to taste,

• Butter - cold, from the fridge. 

METHOD:

• Make a soft, non-sticky dough with the flour and water, adding little salt, and little oil. Cover with a slightly damp cloth, and let it rest for 20-30 mins.
• To the chicken mince, add cabbage, onions, spring onions, garlic, ginger, carrots (if using), the maggi cubes, black pepper, little sugar, and little vinegar. Mix it thoroughly. 
• You may take a spoonful of the mixture, form a little patty, and fry in in a non-stick pan. Taste, and adjust seasoning.
• Break the butter up with your fingers and knead into the chicken mixture. Refigerate for 15 mins. I use some butter to make the filling juicy. Chicken tends to dry out after cooking.
• Pinch out a 1 Rupee size of dough, dust it with flour, and roll it out as thinly as possible into a 3" diameter disc, like a 'Luchi'.
• Fill it with a spoonful of the chicken stuffing, bring together the edges, pinching in as you go and close it to make your dumpling. Make as many dumplings as you have to.

• To make Momos, steam the dumplings over boiling water for about 12-15 mins. 
  
  

• To make pot stickers, bring a saucepan of water to boil. Put over heat a frying pan that has got a well fitting lid. Add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to the hot pan, and arrange the dumplings in the frying pan keeping some gap between them. Give it a minute to get the bottoms fried and golden.
• Now carefully pour the hot water into the frying pan reaching halfway up the dumplings. IT WILL SPLUTTER. Cover with the lid and give it some 8-10 mins.
• When you hear the sizzling sound from the pan, take the lid off. The water should all be gone by then. If there is still some water, cover and give it another couple of minutes.
• Take the Pot Stickers out bottom side up on a plate. 

Serve with a bowl of steaming clear soup.