Day 1 of cooking with Swayambu and Sharmila: Aloo (potato) Curry with Butter Roti

Ingredients:

• 15 small potatoes
• 2 onions
• 4 small tomatoes
• 4 green bird’s-eye chilis
• 1 kg whole wheat flour
• Butter
• 1 tsp each: cumin, turmeric, fennel, dried chili powder, ginger paste, salt, curry masala spice mix
• 2 handfuls peas
• Enough water to make roti dough
• Sunflower oil

Step 1: boil potatoes for 10 min; peel skins off

Step 2: mince chili, onion, tomato; cut potato into bite size chunks

Step 3: combine water and flour by hand into a single blob, sticky but solid. Let rest for 10 min (this is your roti dough)

Step 4: saute over medium heat: all spices, then add onions and chili, then peas, then tomato, then 1/2 of the potato chunks, then salt and curry masala. Mash remaining potatoes with water until smooth; add.

Step 5: Simmer covered for 10-20 min.

Step 6: Divide roti into 1.5-2 inch balls; roll into discs and fold into 6-inch triangles.

Step 7: Cook roti in pan with butter over medium-high heat. They’re done when they’re brown and crispy on both sides.

Day 2: Buffalo Momos

Ingredients:

• 1 kg ground buffalo (can use other meat; beef works)
• 100g green onion
• 100g cabbage
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1 kg white wheat flour
• 1-3 tsp each: cinnamon powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, momo masala (a specific spice mix), salt, turmeric, chili, cumin
• Cilantro, a handful
• Water
• Chicken boullion cube

Step 1: combine all ingredients except water and flour in a bowl. This is your filling

Step 2: mix flour and water until cohered into a single mass, sticky but solid (like pasta dough if you’ve ever made it)

Step 3: divide dough and roll into 4 inch disks

Step 4: put a SMALL amount (less than you think you need!) of filling into the center of the disk. Wrap the filling with the dough

Step 5: steam momos 10-15 min. Can serve with a sauce such as pickled tomato or chili sauce

Day 3: Newari Pizza

Ingredients:

• 200g white flour
• 1 kg rice flour
• Water (a lot)
• Sunflower oil (a couple of teaspoons)
• Any toppings you like! You can make it more traditionally (perhaps momo filling with egg and turmeric); we also made it with egg and turmeric only; and also tried sweet versions (banana, honey, and butter was one that we liked! we also tried a nutella-like condiment too!)

Step 1: Mix flour, water, and sunflower oil until you have a runny mixture that sticks to the back of a spoon.

Step 2:  Pour flour mixture onto a pan at medium heat, spread into 8-inch pancakes with a spoon. Don’t flip them!

Step 3: Add whatever toppings you like – again, meat, eggs, or something totally different!

Step 4: Cover the pan and cook for 3-5 min.