Seafood Momo

A seafood momo placed in front of a scallop shell on a white plate, set on an orange sauce base, with garlic cilantro sauce on the left and timur chutney sauce on the right.

Two chefs, Darwin and Rohit, stand smiling in front of a wooden wall and door.

Guided by instinct, heritage and a shared love of storytelling through food, Darwin Rengifo of Your Sixth Sense Culinary and Chef Rohit Shrestha bring Venezuelan warmth and Nepali depth together in a bold recipe that feels both rooted and new.

Perfect Pairings, a program by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, brings together home cooks to create recipes by blending elements of their unique cultural food traditions.

  1. Step 1: Dough
    • Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.
    • Gradually add water while mixing until a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough forms.
    • Add oil and knead until fully incorporated.
    • Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Salmon Fume
    • Simmer all ingredients together over medium heat.
    • Reduce the liquid by half to create a concentrated stock.
    • Strain and reserve the fume for later use.
  3. Step 3: Seafood Base
    • Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
    • Sauté the vegetables and shrimp shells until well browned.
    • Add the tomato paste and cook until concentrated and fragrant.
    • Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
  4. Step 4: Blending the Seafood Base
    • Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender.
    • Add the reserved salmon fumé.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Strain through a fine strainer.
    • Reserve the strained seafood base.
  5. Step 5: Final Seafood Cooking
    • Sauté the seafood in butter over medium heat.
    • Add the strained seafood base.
    • Stir in the cream and season to taste.
    • Simmer until the sauce becomes rich and creamy.
    • Strain the seafood from the sauce.
    • Reserve the seafood as the Momo filling and the sauce for plating.
  6. Step 6: Garlic Cilantro Sauce
    • Blend all ingredients except the oil until smooth.
    • Slowly stream in the oil while blending continuously.
    • Continue blending until thick, creamy, and emulsified.
    • Refrigerate until needed.
  7. Step 7: Timur Chutney
    • Sauté the tomato, onion, and garlic until softened.
    • Transfer to a blender.
    • Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
    • Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
  8. Step 8: Momo Assembly
    • Roll the rested dough into a thin sheet.
    • Cut into small circles.
    • Place the seafood filling in the center of each wrapper.
    • Fold and pleat the edges to seal.
    • Steam/Fry until fully cooked.
    • Serve with the seafood sauce, garlic cilantro sauce, and timur chutney.

Dough

  • AP Flour: 430g
  • Water: 200 – 225ml
  • Salt: ½ tbs
  • Oil: 1tbs

Seafood Stuffing

  • Mix seafood (Shrimp, Mussel, Squid, Scallop): 350g
  • Salmon head: 1
  • Shrimp shells: 110-115g
  • Ginger: 30g
  • Garlic: 5 cloves
  • Celery stalk: 2
  • Carrot: 80g
  • Onion: 1
  • Tomato paste: 80g
  • Bell pepper: 1
  • White wine: 20ml
  • 35% Cream: 1cup
  • Butter: 75g
  • Salt and pepper
  • Water: 1 litre

Garlic Cilantro Sauce

  • Egg: 1
  • Cilantro: 40-50g
  • Garlic: 3 cloves
  • Vegetable oil: 220ml – 280ml
  • Salt and pepper

Timur Chutney

  • Oil: 3ml
  • Tomato: 1 full
  • Onion: ½
  • Timur: 1-2 tsp
  • Lemon juice: 1tbs
  • Cilantro: 35g
  • Garlic: 3 cloves
  • Salt and pepper

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