History of Momo • Soul Food of Bhutan

When you are in Bhutan, you may be forgiven if you thought that momo could be the country's national dish 🤭

Bhutanese just love their momo. You will feel the vibes when you eat with Bhutanese.

Momo eating places are everywhere in Bhutan, like chicken rice eating places are everywhere in Singapore, nasi lemak places are everywhere in Malaysia.

But, it is not Bhutan's national dish - that honour belongs to ema datsi or chili cheese which is also popular though not in the same way as momo.

There are no specialised chili cheese restaurants in Bhutan. Momo is a main course dish while chili cheese is a side dish.

However, momo could be the Bhutanese national staple.

Momo has wide appeal, from seniors to youths and children, from monks, professionals to students.

It is extremely versatile - different wraps, different fillings, all can be adjusted to suit all tastes and situations.

Wheat flour skin, barley flour skin, buckwheat flour skin, yak filling, lamb filling, vegetables, cheese, etc.

It can be eaten with different dips. Bhutanese enjoy it with a spicy chili and cheese dip known as ezay.

It's fast food and it's fun.

Once made, momo / dumpling is easy to store as well as quick to cook and serve. It can be boiled, steamed, baked, deep fried or pan fried.

It is believed that the Chinese dumpling or jiao zi 餃子 travelled from west China down into Tibet and from there into Nepal and Bhutan. In west China, jiao zi is known as 饃饃 which sounds like the Tibetan name for dumplings མོག་མོག mog mog or momo.

In 641, a Tang dynasty princess, Wencheng 文成公主 married King Songtsen Gampo of the Tibetan Empire. The princess' kitchen could have brought jiao zi to Tibet or popularised it.

When jiao zi reached the Himalayas, its flavours found favour among Tibetans. The dish is easy to adapt to local tastes.

In Tibet, it is naturally filled with yak meat.

The portability of frozen dumplings made it ideal for Himalayan travellers and traders - the perfect companion to take along when traversing high, winding, cold, wind swept mountain roads and passes of the vast Third Ice Cap (which the Himalayas is sometimes known).

Two of Bhutan's most important historic figures are from Tibet.