Momo's Point Khopoli

A simple white-flour-and-water dough is generally preferred to make the outer momo covering. Sometimes, a little yeast or baking soda is added to give a more doughy texture to the finished product. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also used sometimes to enhance the taste of momo.

Momos

Momo in mucktoo
Traditionally, momo is prepared with ground/minced meat filling, but over the past several years, this has changed and the fillings have become more elaborate. These days, momo is prepared with virtually any combination of ground meat, vegetables, tofu, paneer cheese, soft chhurpi (local cheese) and vegetable and meat combinations.[3]
Meat: Different types of meat fillings are popular in different regions. In Nepal, Tibet, Darjeeling district, Assam, Sikkim and Bhutan, pork, chicken, goat meat and buffalo meat are commonly used. In the Himalayan region of Nepal and Ladakh, India, lamb and yak meat are common. Minced meat is combined with any or all of the following: onions/shallots, garlic, ginger and cilantro/coriander. Some people also add finely puréed tomatoes and soya sauce.[4]
Vegetables: Finely chopped cabbage, potato or chayote (iskush) are used as fillings in Nepal and some parts of India.
Cheese: Usually fresh cheese or the traditional soft chhurpi is used. This variety is common in eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Darjeeling.
Khuwā: Momo filled with milk solids (khuwā खुवा) mixed with sugar are popular as dessert in the Kathmandu valley.
Mashed potato: Mashed potato (ālu) is another popular filling in the Kathmandu valley.
Paneer: Paneer is another recent and popular filling in Kathmandu.
The dough is rolled into small circular flat pieces. The filling is then enclosed in the circular dough cover either in a round pocket or in a half-moon or crescent shape. People prefer meat that has a lot of fat because it produces intensively flavored juicy momos. A little oil is sometimes added to the lean ground/minced meat to keep the filling moist and juicy. The dumplings are then cooked by steaming over a soup (either a stock based on bones or vegetables) in a momo-making utensil called mucktoo. The dumplings may also be pan-fried or deep-fried after being steamed.