Street Icon · Steamed Dumplings

Momo

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The pleating style on top of a momo can act almost like a signature — some cooks fold a dozen or more precise pleats into a single dumpling.

Small dumplings are stuffed with spiced minced meat or vegetables, pleated shut by hand, and steamed in stacked bamboo baskets, then served with a spicy tomato-chili dipping sauce called achar. They're sold everywhere from tiny street carts to sit-down momo shops in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.

Why it's made this way: Momo has roots in Tibetan and wider Himalayan dumpling traditions, and its steamed, hand-held format made it ideal for street vendors who could prepare large batches in stacked baskets.