Pockets Of Flavour!

 

Pockets Of Flavour!

Author : Sanjay Kumar Anand

Hello everyone! From street-side to luxury restaurants , momos can be found across the country. With its growing popularity, the number of varieties has also been on the rise. Join us to find out how well you know its origins....

The origin of momos can be traced back to Tibet and Nepal. Between these two places, it is quite unclear where momos where first prepared. Momos have been a staple of food for the people of this region for several decades. Originally momos were stuffed with yak meat since vegetables were scarce in the cold Himalayan regions of Tibet. The Tibetan exodus that began in the early 1960s is believed to have initiated the spread of momos in newer regions. Tibetan people who migrated in the fear of persecution from the Chinese People's Liberation Army carried their food along with them, of which momos were a part.

Considering the presence of dumplings similar to momos in regions spanning from Korea to Uzbekistan and Georgia, some food historians believe momos could have evolved from dumplings prepared during the Mongol rule. Some of us might Have associated momos with food from Northeast India. However, momos are not part of the staple diet of the people of Tripura, Manipur and a few other states. It was added to the menu of many restaurants in the region when the dish's popularity grew.

However, momos have been a part of traditional cuisine in Shillong, Sikkim and some parts of Arunachal Pradesh. In Shillong momos are believe to have been introduced by the Chinese community during migration. Momos and a part of the staple diet of Monpa and Sherdupa tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, whose settlements share a border with Tibet. Native Tibetan settlers who moved to Sikkim, Meghalaya, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal and Delhi carried the dish with them during the exodus.
So, that's in this blog and thanks for reading.