Momo

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of dumpling typically filled with meat or vegetables and originating from Tibetan and Himalayan cuisines
2. A steamed or fried dish that consists of a dough wrapper encasing various fillings, popular in South Asian culinary culture
3. A savory treat characterized by a doughy exterior and flavorful contents, commonly enjoyed as a snack or appetizer

Etymology: The Tibetan word "mog mog" is the likely source of the English term, and its own origin is in Chinese: it comes from Mandarin "mómo", a term for steamed buns. The word travelled from Chinese into Tibetan and then, through the Himalayan trade and migration around Nepal, into the wider world as the name for the stuffed dumplings that many Nepali and Tibetan kitchens serve. The Tibetan form is itself a reduplication, the doubling of a syllable that is common in Tibetan speech, so "mog mog" reads as a pair of matching sounds rather than a single root. Chinese "mómo" carries the same doubled shape, which is why the pattern appears on both sides of the border.

Synonyms: dumpling, pierogi, ravioli, potsticker, gyoza