Nepali momo chutney, often called momo achar, is a bold tomato-and-sesame sauce served alongside steamed or fried dumplings. Roasted tomatoes bring sweetness and body, while toasted sesame, chilies, garlic, and a little citrus make a tangy, savory dip; the balance and heat vary from household to household.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe tomatoes (450 g), halved lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves (9 g), peeled
- 1/3 cup hulled sesame seeds (50 g), white or a mix of white and black
- 2 dried red chilies (about 3 g), stems removed; use 1 for mild heat or 3 for hotter chutney
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (2 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground timur (0.5 g), if available; see the substitution note below
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml), plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (6 g), including tender stems
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water (30 to 60 ml), as needed for blending
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prepare the tomatoes. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 450°F (230°C). Arrange the tomato halves cut side up on a small, rimmed baking sheet. Put the peeled garlic cloves beside them. No oil is necessary, though a little tomato juice may run onto the pan as the tomatoes roast.
- Roast until soft and lightly browned. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes have collapsed and their edges show dark spots. The garlic should be tender and pale gold; if the cloves are browning quickly, remove them before the tomatoes. Transfer everything to a plate or heatproof bowl and let it cool for 7 minutes. This short rest makes the mixture easier to handle and helps keep hot steam from building up in the blender.
- Toast the sesame and spices. While the tomatoes cool, put the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir or shake the pan often for 2 to 3 minutes, until the seeds smell nutty and turn a shade darker. Tip them onto a plate right away so they do not keep toasting in the hot pan. In the same skillet, toast the cumin seeds for about 30 seconds, then the dried chilies for 15 to 20 seconds, turning them once. Stop as soon as they smell fragrant; scorched seeds or chilies can make the sauce bitter.
- Grind the toasted ingredients. Crush the sesame, cumin, and chilies in a spice grinder, small food processor, or mortar and pestle. A little texture is welcome, but aim for mostly fine crumbs so the sauce is not gritty. If your blender handles small quantities well, you can put them directly in the blender with the other ingredients instead.
- Blend the chutney. Add the roasted tomatoes and garlic, ground toasted mixture, timur, salt, lemon juice, and cilantro to a blender. Pulse until the sauce is mostly smooth, scraping down the sides once. Add water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time only if needed to help the blades move. The finished chutney should be spoonable and thick enough to cling to a momo, not watery like a drink.
- Adjust and serve. Taste a small spoonful with a piece of momo or a plain cracker. Add salt if the tomato flavor seems flat, lemon juice if it needs more brightness, or a little water if it is too thick. For more heat, blend in a pinch of cayenne or another toasted chili. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.
Tips
- Choose ripe tomatoes. Fully ripe tomatoes give this sauce its rounded flavor and help it blend smoothly. If yours are firm or pale, roast them until they are very soft and allow a few extra minutes in the oven. Watery tomatoes can make a thinner sauce, so add blending water cautiously and drain off any unusually large pool of roasting liquid before blending.
- Control the chili heat. Dried chilies differ considerably in size and strength, and some are hotter near the seeds. Start with one chili if you are unsure; blend, taste, and add more only after the first taste. A pinch of cayenne is a convenient substitute, but it adds direct heat without the toasted, fruity flavor of whole dried chilies.
- Keep sesame moving as it toasts. Sesame seeds go from fragrant to burnt quickly, especially in a thin pan. Stir continuously near the end and move them to a cool plate as soon as they are golden and aromatic. If they burn, discard them and start again rather than trying to hide the bitter flavor with extra lemon or salt.
- Use timur thoughtfully. Timur, a fragrant Himalayan spice with a citrusy, lightly numbing quality, can be hard to find outside South Asian or specialty shops. Ground Sichuan pepper is a practical substitute, though its aroma is different; use a small pinch first. Leaving timur out is also fine—the tomato, sesame, and chili still make a flavorful momo sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the chutney in a small bowl beside hot steamed or pan-fried momos, allowing each person to dip or spoon on as much as they like. Its concentrated tomato flavor and gentle sesame richness work especially well with mild dumpling fillings, but it also pairs neatly with fried snacks, grilled vegetables, or simple rice. If serving a platter, keep the sauce separate until mealtime so the dumpling wrappers stay intact rather than becoming soggy.
For a meal, offer momos with a crunchy cabbage or cucumber salad and a bowl of soup. A small spoonful can also be added to a plate of dal-bhat or used as a punchy condiment for roasted potatoes. The chutney is meant to be lively rather than overpowering, so serve a modest portion first and let guests add more. If the sauce has been refrigerated, take out only the amount you plan to serve and let it lose its chill for about 10 minutes; cold temperatures can mute its aroma.
Variations
Smokier, charred tomato version: For a deeper roasted taste, broil the tomatoes briefly at the end of roasting, watching closely so they blister but do not blacken completely. You can also char them in a heavy skillet, turning them with tongs, though that takes more attention and may produce a less even result. Keep the garlic away from the hottest area because it burns sooner than the tomatoes.
Fresh chili version: Replace the dried chilies with 1 small fresh red chili (about 8 g), seeded for milder heat. Roast it on the tray for the last 8 to 10 minutes, or blend it in raw for a sharper, greener flavor. Fresh chilies vary in heat, so begin with half if you want a gentler sauce.
Extra-tangy or sesame-free: Increase the lemon juice by 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time for a brighter dip, tasting as you go. For a sesame-free sauce, leave out the seeds and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil for a smoother texture if desired. It will be less nutty and a little lighter-bodied, so blend in small amounts of water rather than expecting the same thickness.
Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftover chutney to a clean, covered container and refrigerate it within 2 hours of making. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The flavor may mellow as it sits, so stir before serving and refresh it with a small squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt if needed. Use a clean spoon each time, and discard it if it has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
You can freeze the chutney in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality. Leave a little room at the top for expansion, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and stir well; freezing may make the texture slightly looser. This sauce is usually served cool or at room temperature, so reheating is not necessary. If you do warm a portion, heat it gently in a saucepan, stirring, and bring leftovers to 165°F (74°C) before serving. Do not leave the rest of the batch out while warming a portion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is momo chutney the same as achar?
In this context, momo achar is a common name for the sauce served with momos. Recipes differ: some are smooth and tomato-forward, while others use more sesame, chili, herbs, or spices. The recipe here is one approachable tomato-and-sesame version, not a claim that there is only one traditional formula.
Can I make it without an oven?
Yes. Cook the halved tomatoes and garlic in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat, turning the tomatoes as needed until they soften and develop dark patches. Cover the pan briefly if the tomatoes are slow to soften, then uncover it so excess liquid can evaporate. Toast the sesame, cumin, and chilies separately as directed; keeping them separate makes it easier to avoid burning them while the tomatoes cook.
Can I make the chutney ahead?
Yes. Make it up to a day ahead, cover it, and refrigerate it. The flavors will meld, though the sauce may taste less bright straight from the refrigerator. Stir it, let the serving portion stand for about 10 minutes, and taste again before adding lemon or salt. Keep the bulk of the chutney chilled until it is time to serve.
Why is my chutney bitter or too spicy?
Bitterness usually comes from sesame, cumin, or dried chilies that toasted too long, or garlic that browned too deeply. Burnt ingredients are difficult to balance, so it is best to start again if the bitter taste is strong. If the sauce is too spicy, blend in another roasted tomato or a spoonful of plain yogurt when serving; either will soften the heat, although yogurt changes the sauce’s character and makes the portion perishable like a dairy dip.
Can I use canned tomatoes?
Fresh ripe tomatoes give the most familiar roasted flavor, but drained canned whole tomatoes can work when fresh tomatoes are out of season. Use about 1 1/2 cups (270 g) drained tomatoes, roast them in a shallow ovenproof dish until thickened and lightly browned, and cool before blending. Canned tomatoes are already soft and may release more liquid, so do not add water until you have checked the texture.
How do I make a smoother sauce without a powerful blender?
Grind the sesame and spices as finely as you can in a spice grinder or mortar before adding them to the tomatoes. Blend in small batches if your appliance is compact, and scrape down the sides between pulses. For a very smooth result, press the finished chutney through a fine sieve, but expect to lose some sesame texture and yield a little less sauce.
Related
- Nepali Paratha Recipe: Spiced Potato Flatbread
- Nepali Momo Recipe: Steamed Dumplings and Achar
- Nepali Recipes for Beginners: Simple Dal Bhat
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