Destination
Kathmandu
The story
Jhol momo — literally "soup momo" — is Kathmandu's spicy soup version of the classical steamed momo: pleated buff or chicken dumplings are steamed to order, then submerged in a big soup bowl of jhol, a fiery-tangy sesame-tomato broth spiked with Timur pepper, garlic, ginger and dried chilies. What makes jhol momo different from a regular momo is that the achar isn't a dipping sauce on the side — it's an entire bowl of thin, spiced broth that the momos swim in, and the diner eats with a spoon to lift each momo out of the broth and slurps the leftover soup at the end. Invented at a Kathmandu restaurant called Old Durbar in the 1990s and now on every mid-scale Kathmandu momo menu.
Method
In a dry heavy pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds 3 minutes until pale gold. Add the fenugreek and cumin; toast 60 seconds more. Cool briefly.
In the same pan, char the whole tomatoes, dried chilies, garlic, ginger and onion 8 minutes total, turning, until blackened in patches. Remove chilies after 20 seconds a side or they'll burn.
Combine the charred vegetables, toasted seeds, Timur, salt and 300ml water in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Strain if you want a smoother broth; leave rustic if you prefer texture.
Warm the mustard oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the blended paste (careful — it will splutter). Cook 8 minutes, stirring, until the oil separates around the edges. Pour in the remaining 700ml water/stock. Bring to a simmer. Add sugar. Simmer 15 minutes to marry and thicken slightly. The broth should be thick enough to coat a momo but thin enough to spoon.
Taste. Adjust with more salt, sugar (if too tart), lime (if too flat) or water (if too thick). The finished broth should be bright red-orange, tangy, mildly spicy, and slightly nutty.
If not using pre-made: fill and pleat as per the momo recipe, then steam 10 minutes in a bamboo steamer. If using frozen momos: steam directly from frozen for 12 minutes.
Ladle the hot jhol generously into 4 wide shallow bowls. Carefully place 6 to 8 hot momos into each bowl — they should be half-submerged.
Top each bowl with a heavy scatter of chopped coriander, sliced spring onion, a few slices of fresh chili and a dust of extra Timur. Add a lime wedge on the side. Serve immediately with a spoon — diners eat momos one at a time from the broth, then drink the remaining broth straight from the bowl.
Tips
- Timur is essential. Nepali Sichuan pepper gives jhol momo its specific citrusy-numbing edge. Regular black pepper doesn't approximate. Any Nepali or Asian grocer stocks it.
- Char the vegetables. Untoasted tomatoes and chilies give a raw, sharp broth. The blackening step is what deepens the flavour.
- Strain for smoother, leave rustic for chunky. Both are legitimate. The Old Durbar version is strained smooth; many home versions leave the texture.
- Serve immediately. The broth should be hot enough to keep the momos warm. Once poured, eat within 10 minutes.
- Use fresh momos if possible. Frozen work but the wrapper is slightly firmer. Steam from frozen 2 extra minutes.
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