Pickles & Condiments
Momo ko Achar (Sesame-Tomato Dipping Sauce)
मःमको अचार
No plate of momo leaves a Nepali kitchen without this sauce: roasted tomatoes blended with a heavy hand of toasted sesame, garlic, dried chilli and timur into a thick, nutty, tingling red dip. The sesame is what separates it from an ordinary chutney, giving body and a toasted richness that clings to a dumpling. Every stall guards its own ratio, and arguments about whose achar is best are a genuine Kathmandu pastime.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
At the stove
Method
Roast the tomatoes and unpeeled garlic over a flame, on a dry pan, or under a hot grill until the skins blacken and blister and the tomatoes slump.
Cool, then peel both and set the smoky flesh aside, discarding the charred skins.
Dry-toast the sesame seeds over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they pop and turn an even pale gold — burnt sesame will make the whole sauce bitter.
In the same pan, briefly toast the dried chillies, cumin seeds and timur until they smell sharp and fragrant.
Grind the toasted sesame alone first, to a coarse damp powder, then add the chillies, cumin and timur and grind again.
Blend the roasted tomatoes, garlic and ginger with the sesame-spice mixture, salt, lemon juice and just enough water to get a thick, pourable sauce.
Heat the mustard oil until it smokes, cool it for a few seconds, then beat it into the sauce — this rounds off the raw edge and gives the achar its glossy finish.
Taste and adjust heat, salt and sourness, stir in the coriander, and serve in small bowls beside hot steamed momo. Best within three days, kept refrigerated.
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