Momos @ Sharmaji! #RestaurantReview

Momos are a delight! Almost the whole of india is now obsessed with dimsums or what we so fondly call as momos. The tiny pieces of stuffed veggies that burst into your mouth with flavors and the right amount of spice, they are both healthy and tasty.
The chutney that is served along with it is my favorite. The famous chillies from the hills that have superpowers to burn your mouth is very finely crushed and mixed with tomato and spices to make this wonderful chutney. Sure hot and spicy, but the taste of it just catches the tongue and I cannot get enough of it. There is something about the red chillies that are available in the Himalayan range, they are too spicy to be eaten raw but mix it with anything to create a dish and they are sure to surprise you with the magic of their flavors.

Often the chutney that goes with momos are either made of the world famous chilli “Dalle Khursani” which are small and round like baby tomatoes but are believed to be the hottest chilly in the world. Sometimes the chutneys are even made of ‘Bhut Jholakia’ which is available more widely and hence commonly used but they also retain the hotness title. The interesting thing is that they are available only in the hills and are transported to different places. And hence, if you are waiting to indulge into the best kind of momos and its delight with the chutney, you HAVE to go to the hills and find small shops that serve home-like momos.

There are varieties of it rolling in different joints and people have come up with their own sweet versions of it. From thousands of options in vegetarian and non-vegetarian, there are now existing varieties in their dough contents too. Some use cornflour instead of the usual maida and some even go on to smoke the momos in tandoor and give it a little desi touch. And most parts of India is serving Chilli sauce or tomato ketchup or dips of simple red chillies to go with the momos. The newer versions have mayonnaise and white sauce with a topping of oregano and other herbs to add the spicier Italian tadka to the Momos or Veg dimsums.

Stalls and restaurants tend to stock their momos by binding them in the morning and steaming them during the day. Because of the huge demand of momos during the evening time, they have to keep it ready as stock. But here is this one man, in the corner of my hometown who is as passionate about making momos as we are for eating them.

The Sharmaji momo corner is all about fresh momos. A small stall on the outer corner of Siliguri, West Bengal is a refuge from the town and offers one of the best momos. The best part about it is that momos are prepared after you place an order.

Sharmaji puts up his stall at about 12 or 1 p.m. in the day time and works till almost 9 p.m. He believes in serving fresh momos and so he keeps making small quantities of dough and stuffing. When an order is placed, he just starts rolling the dough into roundels and stuffing them to keep it in steamer. The momo steamer then takes almost 20-25 mins to cook the momos.

The momos are thin, fresh and just rightly cooked. They are served in steel plates and spoons accompanied by a serving of the red chilly chutney and a helping of tomato ketchup. Of course there have sprung up a number of places who serve momos is wooden steamers and paper plates or fancy plating but the joy of eating in a steel plate is still incomparable.

He also serves the soup which is the water in which the momo is cooked and contains a good flavor. Almost like a vegetable stock (but tastier), the momo soup is by far the most enjoyed soup in winters. Like any other soup, it creates a hot fuzz inside the body and helps increase body immunity. However Sharmaji has a personal touch to it and that is when he adds ‘Ma-Ma’ packet to the soup. ‘Ma-Ma’ is a small packet of fried noodles and taste-maker that is available widely as a snack, and when it is put in the soup, oh! It tastes heavenly! (One more please!)

MyPlateReview Recommends: Try the momos desi-style and love the very essence of it by taking that red chilli chutney for a mouthwatering experience. The taste is sure to move your understanding about this dish. Hills stations and small shops during the hill journey is the best place to have it. And if you liked Sharma Food Corner then I have the address for you.

MyPlateReview Rating: 4/5

Address: Sharma Food Corner, Near Sita Mansion/SBM House, Ward 43, Don Bosco Colony, NH-31C Siliguri, West Bengal -734004

Timings: 12 noon to 10 p.m. mostly.

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