All About Momos.

Our recent stay in Australia gave us several opportunities to taste the local cuisine, mainly cafe food, and we found it a delight.  The ingredients are always fresh and have wonderful flavour. The breads are crisp and light - no doughy white sandwiches where we ate - just Turkish bread, thinner that ours here in NZ and covered in sesame seeds that positively crackle with flavour when toasted.

Where ever we chose to eat, in a shopping mall, or in a little sea-side bar, the standard was the same - generous portions,  fresh flavours and a minimum of mayo - just enough to add  interest  and to hold the ingredients together.  In the Robina Shopping Mall near Burleigh Heads, we had lunch at one of those cafes that are sited in the middle of the concourse.  The noise was abysmal and the crowds were huge, but we decided to eat there anyway.  We were so glad that we had done so.  We each ordered a "melt",  one with grilled chicken and basil pesto, one with chorizo, red onion and tomato and one with bacon, tomato and onion.  Naturally, each came with a topping of melted cheese and a small salad garnish.  Each was delicious,  with plenty of well-cooked topping and just the right amount of soft, tasty cheese oozing over it all.  Accompanied by a reasonable coffee, they were just right for a light lunch and in fact, we returned for the same a few days later.  So - hats off to Australian casual eateries.  They are great!

Making momos at Eumundi Markets in Queensland, Australia.

One of the most interesting new tastes for me was that of momos -  the dumplings of Tibet and Nepal.  We ate these at a large and extremely interesting  market we visited while up in North Queensland.  This market comes highly recommended and is held twice weekly in a small town called Eumundi.   This new food experience consisted of a  plate of Tibetan dumplings, stuffed with, among other things, organic tofu, carrot and cabbage. (You can see the complete list of ingredients on the board in the photograph.)  They were steamed or deep-fried (no residual oil, either) and were bursting with clean, uncomplicated flavours.


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Try making momos using the ingredients above.
They taste great!


Served with thick slices of crisp cucumber, soy,  and chilli dipping sauce they struck just the right note, in the heat,  for a casual lunch under the trees.  These are basically quite simple to put together and are a lot of fun make with your family. They can be made with any meat or as a vegetarian dish and each has its own charm. So suit your momos to your audience!  The video below, shows the basic method of making these tasty treats.

Silky Chicken Liver Pate

The Easiest Recipe in the World!  (Using my stick blender)

This  is a great recipe for Chicken Liver Pate.  I was given the original version about 40 years ago and I have gradually stream-lined it  until I reached the present formula.  I can now whack it up while I am making breakfast and serve it at lunch!

Here are five of the reasons it is so good!

1. Children love it.
2. You can keep the ingredients in the freezer and make it at short notice.
3. You can cook it in the microwave or the oven - flavour is not affected if you use the  microwave properly.   
4. Clean-up is minimum if you use a stick (immersion) blender      
5. Children love it.

I am sure you will find more reasons to add to this list, once you have introduced the recipe to your repertoire.

                                                        Chicken Liver Pate

Ingredients.

250gms (8ozs) chicken livers

250gms (8ozs)butter

1 medium brown onion

1-2 pinches of dried mixed herbs

salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a bowl, place the livers and the butter chopped into cubes. Chop the onion and add along with the herbs and seasoning.

Cook in the microwave on med. low for around 15-20 mins, stirring every 5 minutes.

If you cook in the oven, set at a medium heat (350degrees) and cook until livers are as above and the onions are tender.  

Cool the mixture, then blend until smooth and pour into small bowls for serving. Chill until set.

   


           Notes

• Rule of thumb - always match the quantities of livers and butter.  e.g. 10ozs liver - 10ozs butter.  If you do not, the end product will not be properly balanced.  It does not matter what the quantities are, you can make little or lots.  Adjust the amount of onion, herbs and seasoning as necessary.
• You can add extra flavours if you wish, brandy or port, for example.
• You need to microwave at a low heat as you risk having the livers cooked before the onions if your setting is too high.  The livers should be faintly pink and moist.               
• If you use a blender (I do not think a food processor produces the silky texture required) be prepared to blend in batches and mix the batches together in another large bowl before pouring into smaller containers. (fuss, fuss, fuss!)
•  Because it freezes well, I always make a little extra to freeze in small pots for when we are without extra family! 

As I said - Easy, Easy, Easy!

Garnish with bay leaves and juniper berries.