C-Mo:Mo {Vegetable Chilly Mo:Mo}

Main Meals

By Dixya

I am back at my desk after seeing a patient. I have a heavy heart and I feel helpless. I was little happy though because she looked better, less pale than yesterday. We had a long conversation without her having to catch her breath too often. The other day, she was strapped down, surrounded by respiratory therapists, and machines because she had a respiratory failure..

There are a handful of patients I simply cannot forget about.. Remember that girl, I still think about her every now and then. This patient is another one, she represents most of our elderly population. An individual living on government benefits, no stable housing and all through that, dealing with multiple chronic diseases.

Instead of consulting her about nutrition, I spent my time listening to her…

she painted me a visual image of her life where her meals were uncertain, most days.

she regretted bad choices she’d made in her life. a former drug abuser..chronic cigarette smoker.

she was not sure if she was going to her son’s, daughter’s or nursing home. When I asked about her blood sugars, she hesitated to talk about it.

she reassured me that she understands the diet she needs and doing her best with what she can.

I wished her the best and left. I walked the long hallway to my office flipping the nutrition handouts I had intended to discuss with her… feeling very insignificant.

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Parita had asked about vegetable options for mo:mo couple weeks ago. Here you go girl, the recipe is passed down by my cousin and it was so darn good. I used paneer (fresh, unaged cheese used in Southeast Asia) with few other veggies but for vegans, extra firm tofu (well drained) might work here. If you end up trying, please come back and tell me.

Earlier I shared soup dumplings with tomato based sauce which is delicious on its own..This is another variation made with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, ketchup and hot sauce. Normally, this type of sauce is used with leftover mo:mo (pan-fried) commonly known as chili mo:mo (C-Mo:Mo). Feel free to use sauce and the filling of your choice.

Vegetable Chilly Mo:Mo
For about 45-50 mo:mo

Ingredients
50 wrappers (I used gyoza wrapper here but dumpling wrappers work great too)
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots ( I used shredded, match-stick kind from the store).
6 oz paneer, crumbled (available at the Indian grocery stores in the refrigerator section)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (do not use the stem)
3/4 tablespoon mo:mo masala (or use this recipe)
2 teaspoon red chili powder (for spicy version)
2 tablespoon butter, melted (do not substitute oil)
generous pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

-Steam cabbage and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Squeeze and drain as much water as possible.
-In a mixing bowl, combine with all the ingredients and set aside.
-When ready, start your steamer and begin the wrapping process.

– Wet the edges of the wrapper with water, put about 1-1.5 teaspoon of filling into the wrapper. Wrap them by pinching the edges together or watch this tutorial.

– Arrange them on a well greased steamer basket. Once the basket is full and the steamer is ready, steam it for about 12-15 minutes. (The dough usually puffs up with a nice gloss)

You can enjoy the vegetable mo:mo with ketchup or hot sauce of your choice. But I highly recommend making this soupy sauce (great for cold weather), or pan-fry them and make chilly mo:mo if you are into spicy things. The sauce for chilly mo:mo is adapted from here.

Chilly Mo:Mo Sauce

For about 20-25 mo:mo

Ingredients

3 tomatoes, whole

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger
3-4 green chilies, sliced vertically (use more or less upon your preference)

1 small onion, cut into quarters and layers separated
1 bell pepper, cut into inch square shape

2 tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup soy sauce

2-3 tablespoon hot sauce such as Sriracha

1 tablespoon chili power (for spicier sauce)

salt (only if necessary)
2-3 sprigs cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

Directions

– Preheat the oven to 400F.

– Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until it softens a little bit. Allow it cool for little bit and remove its skin.

– Heat a medium pan with cooking oil, fry garlic and ginger paste for a minute or so.

– Add tomato and cook it to a smooth paste. Then add onion, bell pepper. Let it sautee for 2-3 minutes.

– Add ketchup, soy sauce, hot sauce, and chili power to the pan and let it cook until it thickens up. Add little water if the sauce starts to look dry.

– Remove from heat. Taste and adjust any seasonings, salt as necessary. Garnish with cilantro.

For Chilly Mo:Mo – pan fry mo:mo then combine it with the sauce. Serve it hot.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.