Yomari

Yomari (Nepalese Rice Flour Dumplings with Sweet Sesame Filling)

Yomari is a traditional Newari delicacy from the Kathmandu Valley, traditionally shaped like a fig (the name literally means 'bread made by steam') and enjoyed during the Yomari Punhi festival. The dough is a simple blend of rice flour and all-purpose flour, wrapped around a sweetened sesame and coconut filling, then steamed until tender and chewy.

Prep

25 min

Cook

15 min

Total

40 min

Serves

Makes 10 yomari

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz (about 1¼ cups)) rice flour, fine white rice flour (not glutinous), or null
• •50 g (¼ cup) all-purpose wheat flour, traditional addition for pliability, or null
• •250 ml (1 cup) water, plus extra as needed, or null
• •0.5 ml (⅛ tsp) salt, or null
• •100 g (½ cup) sesame seeds, lightly toasted and ground, or null
• •60 g (about ⅔ cup) desiccated coconut, or fresh grated coconut if available, or null
• •80 g (⅓ cup) jaggery or dark brown sugar, chakka or gud, finely grated, or null
• •1 g (¼ tsp) cardamom powder, optional but traditional, or null
• •5 ml (1 tsp) ghee or neutral oil, for greasing and brushing, or null

Steps

1. 1 Bring the water to a boil in a deep saucepan. Stir in the salt and the wheat flour first and whisk smooth, then gradually whisk in the rice flour off the heat to avoid lumps. Return to low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 4–6 minutes, until the mixture comes together as a soft, smooth, pliable dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan. It should be warm but not too hot to handle; cover and rest 5 minutes.
2. 2 While the dough rests, make the filling: grind the toasted sesame seeds to a coarse paste in a mortar or spice grinder. Melt the jaggery with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water in a small pan over low heat until dissolved, then stir in the sesame paste, coconut, and cardamom. Cook 2–3 minutes until the mixture holds together when pressed; cool until warm.
3. 3 Divide the dough into 10 equal portions (about 30 g each) and roll each into a smooth ball. Keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
4. 4 Flatten each ball into a small disc about 8–9 cm (3–3½ in) across and 3–4 mm thick, using rice flour to dust the surface if it sticks.
5. 5 Place about 1 tablespoon (12 g) of filling in the center of each disc. Bring the edges up around the filling, pleating them together with your fingertips to seal completely, then pinch one end and gently taper the dumpling into the traditional pointed fig shape. If the seam starts to crack, dab with a wet fingertip and pinch again; any opening will let filling leak into the steamer.
6. 6 Oil the steamer insert or line it with cheesecloth brushed with ghee. Arrange the yomari seam-side down, leaving at least 2 cm (¾ in) between them since they puff slightly during steaming.
7. 7 Bring water to a rolling boil in the steamer, place the basket over it, cover tightly, and steam over high heat for 12–15 minutes. The dumplings are done when the dough is translucent at the thinnest pinched point and feels firm and bouncy to the touch; the internal temperature of the thickest part should read at least 96°C / 205°F.
8. 8 Rest the yomari in the steamer (lid off) for 2 minutes before lifting them out; brushing lightly with ghee keeps the surface glossy and prevents drying. Serve warm, traditionally with a cup of sweet masala tea.