Momos And Chow Min: A Corner Of The Himalayas Has Opened In Buġibba
I hadn’t tried momos since a visit to Nepal 20 years ago, so I was quite excited when I heard I could find them here now. When I found out that Himalaya Restaurant and Bar in Buġibba is now serving delicious Himalayan specialities from Nepal and India, I knew I had to try it.
Momos are more of a Tibetan speciality but they are ubiquitous in Nepal and anywhere where there are thriving Tibetan communities. Many Tibetans have been displaced as their country was assimilated with China. They have communities spread around the Himalayas, Asia and worldwide.
Momos are a kind of dumpling similar to dim-sum. They can be filled with vegetables, chicken, buffalo or any other meat. They can be steamed or fried, cooked in a chilli and capsicum sauce and even in a tandoor apparently!
A Nepali friend was leaving to Nepal and we were a group of eight people from around the world. It is nice to go in a group and try different dishes which lend themselves to sharing. The manager explained how they fuse Indian and Chinese dishes using Nepali spices.
We ended up having a veritable feast:
Steamed and Chilli Momos
Chat Pate- A spicy, fresh, salady concoction with puffed rice
Chat Pate
Chow Mein- Chinese style stir fried noodles
Chicken Biryani- Hyderabadi biryani rice with marinated chicken
Pindi Channa Masala- Chickpea curry, one of my favourite vegetarian meals
Aloo Paratha- A Flatbread stuffed with potato
All in all, a sumptuous heart-warming meal that reignited faded memories.
Have you ever tried momos?