A few days ago we hosted a momo-making class for this lovely, lively group from Oxford’s Department of Chemistry.
Our chemists were natural momo-makers. They understood the power of the basic ingredients we use for our momo wrappers (self-raising flour and water only) as well as the importance of kneading dough, letting it rest, and the changes that occur during cooking. Ancient traditions with plenty of science behind them.
Turning flour into durable momo wrappers that hold up to stretching and folding, steaming and frying is – after all – just a series of chemical reactions. Our chemists would have been able to name the processes. Yeshi certainly cannot, but this has never stood in his way. He learned to make bread, noodles and momos without a science or DT lesson in his life.
Yeshi had a different kind of schooling. He learned how stuff works first hand, and that’s given him a confidence in the kitchen that’s rarely found. When we were putting together the Taste Tibet cookbook, this presented challenges. It was certainly hard to pin him down on quantities and amounts as he cooks so intuitively. And this was especially the case when it came to recipes in which dough played a part. Didn’t I know that how much water you add to your flour depends on where the grain was harvested? Wheat grown in a dry field, he said, would require more water than one in which the wheat had enjoyed plenty of moisture.
And the type of water you use makes a difference as well. Yeshi says that water that is too soft leaves the dough soft and sticky. Hard water can make it rubbery or tough. For momos and noodles pliability is everything, so ideally you’ll have access to water that sits somewhere in the middle.
Teaching classes/writing the cookbook remind us how important it is to stay close to your ingredients as well as your instincts. There is no definitive way of making anything – even when chemistry comes into the equation. Practical, hands-on experience and repetition is all.
Get in touch or pop in and see us if you’re after a cooking lesson with the maestro. This is a fantastic team-building day that culminates in a momo spectacular. What could be better?
We’re open all the usual hours this week, as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
This week’s menu is out now – check it! We also have good stocks of everything in our freezers, including momos, so come forage.
Looking forward to welcoming you in soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
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