Chicken Momo

For the dough, combine the wheat flour and 0.5 tsp salt. Pour in 150 ml warm water and knead into a springy, smooth dough, working it for 6–8 minutes. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.

Finely mince the chicken fillet with a knife or pass it through a meat grinder. Mix it with the onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, 15 ml oil, timur pepper, cumin, black pepper, garam masala, 1 tsp salt and 15 ml water. Mix by hand in one direction for about 1 minute, cover and chill for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 30 pieces and roll into balls, keeping them covered with a towel so they don't dry out. Roll each ball into a 7–8 cm circle, leaving the center slightly thicker than the edges.

Place 1 tsp of filling in the center of each circle. Gather the edges into small pleats toward the center and pinch the top tightly closed so the filling doesn't leak out.

For the achar, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2–3 minutes. In the same skillet, char the tomatoes until blistered, then blend them with the sesame seeds, dried chili, 1 garlic clove, lemon juice and a pinch of salt into a thick sauce.

Pour the remaining water into the bottom of the steamer and bring to a rolling boil. Brush the steamer tiers with the remaining oil, arrange the momo with space between them and cover with the lid.

Steam the momo over high heat for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid. The cooked dough will turn glossy and slightly translucent, and the chicken filling inside should reach 75°C.

Transfer the momo to a warm plate and serve immediately with the tomato-sesame achar.