Ahhh yes, the recipes, aka my time to shine. But first, I must point out that my playlist parameters have stumped you all, yet again. Muahahahaha! The song, artist or album needed to incorporate at least one of the following themes: innocence, youth, escapism, monks or paradise, with extra points for lots of heavy breathing and flute solos… ENIGMA SADENESS FOREVER! You can download the playlist here.
If you haven’t read the last two Shangri-La posts, you can revisit them here and here. In my first post, I mentioned that lots of the ingredients commonly used in Tibetan cuisine have anti-aging properties. How very on-theme of them! I used many in the recipes below, including garam masala, cumin, coriander, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, turmeric, hot chilies, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. I’m not making any medical or scientific claims, I’m just saying that if you throw this dinner party, you will feel 10 years younger, at least.
Fountain of Vermouth
serves 6-8
Vermouth is cool, and thus, so is this spritz bar. It’s also an easy lift, which is great because it’s gonna take a full day to make all those dumplings and your back will be tired. Serve a sweet vermouth and a dry vermouth, plus a variety of spritzy mixers and garnishes, then have your friends make their own drinks. In fact, have them make one for you while they’re at it. A good rule of thumb to start: pair the dry vermouth with a sweet mixer like tonic or ginger beer and the sweet vermouth with a dry mixer like sparkling wine or club soda. Once you get the hang of it, the Fountain of Vermouth is your oyster. To up the ante, add an ounce of gin and a splash of Campari, or other bitter liqueur.
Serve with an array of fresh fruits and your favorite salty bar snacks like crackers, nuts and cheeses, so people have something to nibble on while waiting for that first round of dumplings to drop.
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1 bottle sweet vermouth
1 bottle dry vermouth
1 bottle dry sparkling wine
1 liter club soda
1 liter ginger beer, grapefruit soda or other fruity carbonated mixer
1 liter tonic
1 bottle gin (optional)
1 bottle bitter liqueur, like Campari, Aperol or Cocchi Americano (optional)
Orange and lemon twists, olives and toothpicks, for garnish
Fresh fruits, nuts and other easy to lift bar snacks
Ice
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Add 4 ounces vermouth to a large wine glass filled with ice (you can totally eyeball this). Add a splash of gin or bitter liqueur, if you like, and top with the mixer of your choice. Garnish with an olive or a twist (or both). Eat some snacks. Repeat as necessary.
Never Ending Dumpling Resources
serves 6-8, and then some
Before we get started, I’ll repeat what I said in my first Shangri-La post:
We simply cannot throw a Shangri-La themed dinner party without Tibetan food. Lucky for us, Tibet is home to some of the best dumplings in the world. They’re called momos and they are freakin’ delicious. Before we go any further, though, I need to point out the obvious - I’m not Tibetan. I’ve never been to Tibet, or anywhere in the Himalayas, for that matter. Thus, I am making no claims of authority on Tibetan food. I am also not going to write out an authentic Tibetan menu. My only goal is for the food to be delicious and to honor the ethos of Shangri-La with a nod to Tibetan cuisine. In order to do so, I did a ton of research.
Shout out to all the blogs, recipes and restaurants that helped get me to a place where I felt capable of writing a delicious momo-inspired recipe. It took many tries to get it right. Let’s break it down, shall we?
The fillings: If these dumplings are never ending, then you’ll probably want options. With that in mind we are making a meat and a veggie version. But don’t worry, it’s not twice the work. You’ll make the spice paste once, and use it to flavor both fillings. For the meat version, any meat will do, just don’t forget the golden rule: THE FATTIER THE BETTER. Don’t you dare buy 90% lean ground beef and expect these to taste good. And if you go with chicken, be sure to use dark meat. Lamb and pork (and yak!) are also viable (and delicious!) options. I added some extra fat to the recipe, just to be safe. For this, you can use a neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed, but if you have animal fat on hand - which I always recommend - lard, chicken fat or tallow would be much more flavorful. The veggie version is quite straightforward and was the surprise hit of the party. Hope you like potatoes!
The dough: If the idea of making your own dumpling dough frightens you, or if you just can’t spare the time, it’s perfectly acceptable to use store bought dumpling wrappers. No judgement.
The dips: Sepen is a traditional momo dipping sauce made from dried chilies. After soaking the chilies, the recipe comes together quickly in a blender, resulting in a thick and spicy condiment you’ll always want on hand. The spice will mellow out after a few days, so don’t be afraid if it burns your tongue off when you first make it. I’m fairly certain - (again, I’ve never been to Tibet!) - that sepen is the sole condiment traditionally eaten with momos, but I very much enjoyed eating these with a classic Chinese dumpling sauce as well. I don’t have a recipe for this one, I wing it: a splash of soy sauce, a splash of rice wine vinegar and a dollop of finely chopped ginger. I also like to add some chili oil for kick. Make it taste good to you. You are the chef of your own kitchen!
The yield: This recipe makes about 80 dumplings, which is 10 a pop for a party of 8. If your party is on the smaller side, or if you just want to make a few dumplings for yourself, divide this recipe in half, or even quarter it. OR, make the whole thing and keep all the resources in your freezer. They’ll last for a least 3 months, and you can steam them at your leisure.
Ok! Let’s saddle up.
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Momo Spice Paste
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons whole Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
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Potato Momo Filling
makes enough filling for about 40 dumplings
1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 fresh Thai chilies, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 Momo Spice Paste (recipe above)
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Meaty Momo Filling
makes enough filling for about 40 dumplings
1 pound fatty ground meat
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup fat - neutral oil, lard, chicken fat, or tallow, softened if needed
1/2 Momo Spice Paste (recipe above)
1/2 cup water or stock
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Sepen
1 medium ripe tomato
½ cup dried Thai chiles
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
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Momo Dough (optional)
makes about 80 dumplings
5 cups all purpose flour
1 ⅔ cups very hot water, but not boiling
(or use store bought dumpling wrappers)
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Rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger and chili oil, for dipping
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Special equipment: steamer, small rolling pin, 3-inch round cutter, and a mortar and pestle or high powered blender
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Make the momo spice paste first. Add the garam masala, Sichuan peppercorns, whole coriander, turmeric and whole cumin seed to a nonstick pan and dry-toast on medium low until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the toasted spices to a mortar and pestle, along with the garlic and salt and smash into a paste. Stir in the cilantro leaves, and divide in half, about 1/4 cup each.
Note: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, grind the spices in a spice grinder or high powered blender, grate the garlic and stir it all together along with the salt and cilantro.
Make the momo fillings. Peel, quarter and boil the potatoes until a knife can easily slide through them, about 15 - 20 minutes. Drain and return the pan with the potatoes back to the stove. Heat on low to steam, until all of the excess water has cooked off. Remove from heat and immediately add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the Thai chilies and one half of the Momo Spice Paste. When it’s cool enough to handle, use your hands to smash and combine everything together. Don’t break the potatoes down completely, they should be a little chunky. Ideally nothing larger than hazelnut-sized chunks. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Set the potato filling aside. In a separate bowl, gently combine the ground meat, grated onion, fat and the other half of the Momo Spice Paste. Add the water or stock and mix vigorously until emulsified. Scoop out a teaspoon-sized amount and cook in the microwave or on the stovetop. Taste and add more salt to the mixture, if needed. Cover each filling tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight.
Make the sepen. Cut a small x on one end of the tomato and drop it in a small pot of boiling water, making sure that it’s submerged. Blanch for about 30 seconds, until the skin starts to curl. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomato from the water and turn off the heat. Immediately add the dried chilies to the pot with the hot water. Cover them with a paper towel so they stay submerged. Soak the peppers for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, when the tomato is cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Add it, along with the soaked chilies, cilantro, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to a blender and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. This will last for many weeks in the fridge.
Make the momo dough, if using. If using store bought wrappers, skip to the assembly step. Add the flour to a large bowl and create a well in the center. Pour the hot water into the well in a steady stream while simultaneously using a fork or chopstick to vigorously stir the water into the flour, incorporating more and more flour from the edges. Once a shaggy dough has formed, (you will probably not have incorporated all of the flour), turn it out onto the counter and knead until smooth, approximately 3 minutes, depending on how quickly you move. Continue to add more flour as you knead. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. By the time you are finished kneading, most of the flour will be used, but don’t worry if there is excess. Wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, and keeping the others covered with plastic wrap, roll the dough into a 1/16th-inch-thick sheet. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut as many rounds as possible. Dust them lightly with flour, stack and cover them with plastic wrap. Save the scraps and keep them covered. When you have enough, smush them together and re-roll them up to 3 times, letting them rest 30 minutes between each rolling.
Assemble the momos. Lay 8 dumpling wrappers onto the countertop, keeping the rest covered as you work. Add 2 teaspoons of either meat or veggie filling to the top of each round. Fold the dough over to make a half moon and gently press to seal. If the dough doesn’t stick, use a damp cloth or your finger to moisten the edge of each dough round with water, then fold and pleat the edges. Place the finished dumpling onto a sheet pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Continue in this way until all the fillings and dumpling wrappers are used up. Wrap and refrigerate or freeze the finished dumplings until ready to steam. To freeze, place the sheet pan of dumplings in the freezer. Once they are firm enough, transfer to a zip top freezer bag.
Note: I like to pleat the meat dumplings differently than the veggie dumplings, that way they are easy to tell apart. There are many dumpling folding tutorials on You Tube that can help with this.
Steam the momos. Let’s party. Boil some water in the bottom of a large steamer. Grease the steamer trays or line them with cabbage to prevent sticking. Steam in batches for about 10 minutes (up to 15 if they are frozen), until the wrappers become slightly translucent. Serve immediately with the dipping sauces. And keep ‘em coming, soldier!
Verdant Greens
serves 6-8
These greens are as delicious as they are verdant. The secret is the shichimi togarashi and sesame oil drizzle at the end. Don’t skip this step! For the uninitiated, shichimi togarashi is a piquant, nutty spice blend from Japan. It can be found in most grocery stores, or you can easily make it yourself. Find your favorite version and love it forever. It’ll love you right back.
The 5 oz measurement for the spinach and kale is, quite conveniently, the exact amount in those triple-washed cartons at the grocery store. I totally planned it that way.
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3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
½ cup finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 pounds baby bok choy, washed and roughly chopped
½ cup vegetable stock
5 oz baby spinach
5 oz baby kale
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Shichimi togarashi and toasted sesame oil to finish
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Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. When the oil is just starting to smoke, add the scallion and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and vegetable stock. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach, kale, and soy sauce, and cook until the greens have wilted, about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave when needed. To serve, transfer to a platter and top with a generous amount of shichimi togarashi and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
Golden Milk Rice Pudding
serves 6-8
Golden Milk is an ancient Ayurvedic drink known for its medicinal properties. It gets its signature golden color from the turmeric. Rice pudding is perhaps the most ubiquitous dessert in the world, with a version existing in almost every country. When combined, they are an unstoppable force, and the perfect end for our meal in paradise.
I had to test this dish several times. I tried it first with uncooked, unrinsed rice cause I wanted all those starches to thicken up the pudding. But the rice never cooked all the way through. Then I tried it with cooked, rinsed rice, but it didn’t thicken up as much as I wanted. Turns out, the trick is to definitely use cooked rice, but don’t rinse it before you cook it. The starches will remain, just waiting to be put to work. You can serve this dish warm, but I like it better chilled. It will thicken even more as it cools, so better to err on the side of cooking it too thick; all you’ll need to do is stir in a little bit more milk or cream to get it to the consistency you like.
Top with a drizzle of heavy cream and some freshly cracked black pepper to serve. I know the black pepper seems a little weird. I knooooowww. It works, though. And there is good reason for it being there - it’s piperine compounds synergize with the curcumin in turmeric to boost those anti-aging benefits I was talking about earlier. Read all about it here.
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4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 cups whole milk
1 cup full fat coconut milk
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups cooked, unrinsed long grain rice, jasmine or basmati work great
Heavy cream and freshly cracked black pepper, to serve
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Give the cardamom pods a whack with the flat side of a knife. Add the smashed pods, cinnamon stick and turmeric to a large pot and toast on medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the whole milk, coconut milk, sugar, salt and rice. Mix to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Continue simmering at this rate, adjusting the heat as needed and stirring often, until the rice mixture reduces and thickens to a stewy consistency and coats the back of a spoon, about 45-50 minutes. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, up to a few days. Before serving, give it a stir. If it seems too thick, add a little bit of milk to get to your desired consistency. Spread it evenly into a rimmed serving dish, drizzle with heavy cream, top with freshly cracked black pepper and serve.
That’s it for our Shangri-La dinner party. Follow Ruined Table on tik tok and instagram for how-to videos of the recipes and more. And if you throw this shindig, please let me know how it goes in the comments and tag @ruinedtable if you post about it. Thanks for coming - see you at the next one!
Stay messy,
McBroom