MOMO NOT JUST A FOOD, BUT AN EMOTION
The basic nature of life is everyone, assuming they have the means, consumes some form of food on a daily basis. Food intake is more than just a survival mechanism, and our eating habits include deeper meaning than mere nourishment. In the Physiology of Taste (1825), Brillat-Savarin says "Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you who you are," which explains why some foods are closely associated with culture and people. If the food prepared and consumed by any given individual or culture as a whole defines who we are and where we come from, food is also a shared element that, on some level, may bind us all as one.
According to a recent survey* on food culture in Darjeeling hills, 91.8% of respondents chose Momo, making it the most popular ethnic street food in Darjeeling. The heart and soul of street cuisine, as well as a socio-economically significant aspect for street vendors and restaurants in Darjeeling and elsewhere in India. Everyone eats Momo, but what's the origin of this cherished dumpling?
To understand the provenance of Momo, we must first trace the origins of dumplings globally. In her article for the History Channel, journalist Stephanie Butler explains that dumplings were most likely invented to maximise the use of meat in order to feed a larger number of people. A pound of pork or beef may not be enough for a family of four, but mix it with some cabbage and onions and wrap it in dough, and it's a perfectly sufficient meal. The earliest dumpling recipe appeared in "Apicius", a Roman cookery text said to have been published about A.D. 400. Researchers have discovered evidence of dumplings being eaten in China during the Tang dynasty and in Switzerland as far back as 3,600 B.C. (Vehling, 2009).
Different derivatives of dumplings may be found in Southeast Asian nations, such as Gyozas in Japan and Dim sum in China. Jiaozis, which mean “tender ears” in Mandarin are crescent-shaped dumplings filled with minced meat or veggies and served boiled or fried. Legend has it that Jiaozi was devised during the Han Dynasty by a Chinese physician called Zhang Zhongjian. During a particularly harsh winter, Zhang went to his hometown to find many of his friends and relatives suffering from frostbite around their ears. At the time, Chinese physicians thought that consuming foods that resembled bodily parts would heal the portion of the body that the food resembled. So Zhang prepared some mutton with herbs and wrapped it in pieces of flatbread (Morollo, 2021).
Momo is thought to have arrived in India around the 1960s, during a wave of Tibetan immigration. They settled in several parts of the country, including Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Dharamshala, Sikkim, and Delhi, which are all well-known Momo hotspots. Another claim is that this cuisine was brought to India from Tibet by Kathmandu Newar merchants via the silk route, it also closely resembles the Newari dish Momo Cha. The popularity extended throughout the country, and soon became a beloved soul food for many of us.
Food prepared and consumed by any given individual or culture as a whole distinctly identifies us by who we are and where we come from. Food, on the other hand, is a shared element that, on some level, may bind us all as one. The humble Momo has a long and illustrious history. It has travelled across several continents, developing with each visit. Momo are thought to have first appeared in the 14th century. It's no wonder that both Nepal and Tibet claim to be their birthplaces, given their enormous popularity. While this may always be a source of contention, one thing is certain: when Momo arrived in India, they left an indelible impact and we embraced it.
Comments
Post a Comment