Thick yogurt (hung curd)
हंग कर्ड · दहीگاڑھا دہی
hang curd · dahī
Plain Greek yogurt, or regular yogurt strained in cheesecloth for 30 minutes.
Its job: The base of the marinade; it clings and chars.
Science-backed recipe
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished
Tandoori Momos: Smoky, Spiced and Charred
Also called Tandoori Chicken Momos · तंदूरी मोमोज़ · تندوری مومو
Steamed chicken momos coated in a thick yogurt marinade with Kashmiri chili, garam masala, ginger-garlic and lemon, then roasted hot until the edges char. Finished with butter and chaat masala.
In short
Tandoori momos are steamed chicken momos coated in a spiced yogurt marinade and charred in an air fryer or oven, the North Indian street-food twist on the Himalayan dumpling.
From the MedRise Food Science kitchenPublished - Active
- 22 min
- Marinate
- 20 min
- Total
- 42 min
- Serves
- 24 momos (4)
Why this recipe works
- ✓Starts with steamed momosCooked momos only need to be marinated and charred, so this is fast.
- ✓A marinade that clingsThick, strained yogurt coats the momos instead of sliding off.
- ✓Real charHigh heat browns the yogurt and spices for that tandoor look and taste.
- ✓Bright finishButter, lemon and chaat masala at the end.
What are tandoori momos?
Tandoori momos are a North Indian street-food twist on Himalayan momos: steamed dumplings coated in a tandoori-style yogurt and spice marinade, then roasted until charred, traditionally in a clay tandoor.
This recipe starts with our steamed chicken momos and uses an air fryer, an Instant Pot air-fryer lid or a hot oven in place of the tandoor.
Meet the ingredients
The marinade ingredients, with their English, Hindi and Urdu names. The momos themselves come from the steamed chicken momos recipe.
Kashmiri red chili powder
कश्मीरी लाल मिर्चکشمیری لال مرچ
kashmīrī lāl mirch
A mild, deep-red chili powder.
Its job: Color and gentle heat.
Garam masala or tandoori masala
गरम मसालाگرم مصالحہ
garam masālā
Either a garam masala or a store-bought tandoori masala.
Its job: Warm, smoky spice.
Kasuri methi
कसूरी मेथीقصوری میتھی
kasūrī methī
Dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your palms.
Its job: The signature restaurant aroma.
Chaat masala
चाट मसालाچاٹ مصالحہ
chāṭ masālā
A tangy spice blend.
Its job: Sprinkled on at the end for tang.
Grow it yourself: Cilantro (dhania), Methi (fenugreek), Garlic, Ginger
The lab notes
The science behind every step
Restaurant cooks do these things by habit. Here’s what each step is actually doing to the food, so you can cook by understanding instead of guesswork.
Lab note01
Why thick yogurt
Use Greek yogurt or yogurt strained until thick.
Regular yogurt is mostly water. In a hot oven or air fryer that water turns to steam, which stops browning and makes the coating slide off. Strained yogurt has less water and more protein, so it clings in a thick layer that can dry, brown and char.
Lab note02
Why the marinade browns
Roast at 400°F (200°C) until the edges char.
Yogurt contains milk proteins and the milk sugar lactose. At high heat they take part in the Maillard reaction, which creates browned color and roasted, savory flavors. That’s why yogurt-marinated foods char faster than plain ones.
Lab note03
Oil carries color and flavor
Whisk the oil into the chili and spices before adding the yogurt.
The red pigments in chili and many aroma compounds in spices dissolve in fat, not water. Mixing them into the oil first spreads their color and flavor evenly through the marinade.
Lab note04
A short marinade is enough
Marinate the steamed momos for 20–30 minutes in the fridge.
The momos are already cooked, so the marinade only needs to coat and lightly flavor the wrapper, not tenderize meat. Longer marinating can make the wrapper soggy.
Lab note05
Reheat to 165°F
Roast until the momos are hot through.
Because the momos were cooked earlier, food-safety guidance is to reheat them to 165°F (74°C). The roasting time here does that while charring the outside.
How to make it, at a glance
- Mix the marinadeIn a large bowl, whisk the oil with the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin and coriander. Add the yogurt, kasuri methi, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt and whisk smooth.
- Coat and marinateAdd the steamed momos and gently turn them to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
- Heat the air fryer or ovenHeat an air fryer (or Instant Pot air-fryer lid) to 400°F (200°C), or an oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack set on a lined baking sheet.
- RoastArrange the momos in a single layer with space between them. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, or roast in the oven for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until the edges char and the momos are hot through (165°F / 74°C).
- Finish and serveBrush with melted butter, sprinkle with chaat masala and serve hot with lemon wedges, sliced onion and green chutney.
Exact amounts and timings are in the recipe card below.
Health benefits, honestly rated
What this dish brings to the table, with an honest rating of how strong the evidence is.
Macros per 6 momos High protein
Calories540
Protein30 g
Carbs55 g
Fat22 g
Fiber3 g
Sodium1180 mg
5.6 g protein per 100 calories. Estimated from the ingredients with USDA FoodData Central values.
Gym-friendly tip: Already high in protein. For a leaner plate, serve with salad and roti instead of rice, and use skinless thighs or breast.
Protein from the momos
The steamed chicken momos supply roughly 28–30 g of protein per serving (estimated).
Yogurt instead of cream
The marinade uses yogurt, which adds a little calcium and protein, rather than the cream used in some restaurant versions.
Roasted, not fried
An air fryer or oven chars the momos with just a tablespoon of oil in the marinade and a little butter to finish.
Keep in mind
- Chaat masala usually contains black salt, so it adds sodium on top of the salt already in the momos.
- Contains wheat (gluten), soy and dairy.
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Numbers marked “estimated” are calculated from the recipe’s ingredients and vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, heart or kidney disease, a food allergy, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how this dish fits your diet.
Health sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium · Dietary Guidelines for Americans
See the full ingredient health guide: benefits, traditional roots and the science →
Questions, answered
Are tandoori momos vegetarian?
Not these: they’re chicken momos. For veg tandoori momos, fill the dumplings with finely chopped cabbage, carrot, onion and paneer.
Can I use frozen momos?
Yes. Steam them from frozen until cooked through first, then marinate and roast.
Do I need a tandoor?
No. An air fryer or a very hot oven gives the charred edges at home.
Can I use regular yogurt?
Strain it first. Regular yogurt is too watery: it steams instead of charring and slides off the momos.
About MedRise Food Science
Desi restaurant favorites, recreated at home and explained with food science: every recipe is tested in a home kitchen and comes with the why behind each step.
Recipe card
Tandoori Momos
Steamed chicken momos coated in a thick yogurt and tandoori spice marinade, then roasted in an air fryer, Instant Pot air-fryer lid or oven until charred at the edges. With the food science of the marinade and the char.
Prep10 minMarinate20 minCook12 minTotal42 minServes24 momos (4 servings)
Ingredients
Momos
Tandoori marinade
To finish
Instructions
- Mix the marinadeIn a large bowl, whisk the oil with the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin and coriander. Add the yogurt, kasuri methi, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt and whisk smooth.
- Coat and marinateAdd the steamed momos and gently turn them to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
- Heat the air fryer or ovenHeat an air fryer (or Instant Pot air-fryer lid) to 400°F (200°C), or an oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack set on a lined baking sheet.
- RoastArrange the momos in a single layer with space between them. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, or roast in the oven for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until the edges char and the momos are hot through (165°F / 74°C).
- Finish and serveBrush with melted butter, sprinkle with chaat masala and serve hot with lemon wedges, sliced onion and green chutney.
Stovetop method
No air fryer or oven? A heavy skillet works.
- Pan-roastHeat 1 tbsp oil in a cast-iron or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated momos in a single layer and cook, turning gently, for 6–8 minutes until charred in spots and hot through.
- FinishBrush with butter and sprinkle with chaat masala.
Notes
- Mustard oil
- Street vendors often use mustard oil in the marinade. In the US, expressed mustard oil is sold for external use only (see our achaar recipe), so a neutral oil is used here.
- Skewers
- Thread the momos onto skewers with chunks of onion and bell pepper for a tikka-style platter.
- Storage
- Best eaten hot. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3–4 days; reheat in the air fryer until hot through.
Equipment
- Air fryer, Instant Pot air-fryer lid or oven
- Mixing bowl
- Instant-read thermometer
Meal prep: feeding 4 for the week
How much to make, based on 4 people eating it once a day. One batch of this recipe makes 24 momos (4 servings).
Tonight1× the recipe4 servingsOne batch is enough.
Days 1–44× the recipe16 servings, kept in the fridge
Days 1–7, the whole week7× the recipe28 servings: fridge for the first days, freezer for the rest
- Cook onceOn prep day, make the recipe at 7× (use the button above to scale every amount). Big pots take longer to come to a boil and to reduce, so allow extra time; an Instant Pot should be filled no more than halfway for beans and lentils, or two-thirds for other dishes, so cook in rounds if needed.
- Cool it fastDivide the food into shallow containers so it cools quickly, and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
- Split fridge and freezerKeep days 1–4 in the fridge. Freeze the rest in single-meal portions labeled with the date.
- Thaw the night beforeMove the next day’s portion from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C).
- Fridge
- Up to 4 days
- Freezer
- Freeze the plain momos uncooked (see the steamed momos recipe), not the tandoori ones.
- Keep separate or add fresh
- Mix the marinade fresh and coat the momos just before roasting so the wrappers don’t go soggy.
- Reheat
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 375°F until hot through (165°F / 74°C).
Why only a few days in the fridge? Refrigeration slows bacteria but doesn’t stop them; some, like Listeria, can still grow at fridge temperatures, which is why food-safety agencies set cooked leftovers at 3–4 days. Freezing at 0°F stops growth completely, so frozen portions stay safe indefinitely; the freezer times above are for best taste and texture.
Food-safety guidance: USDA, Leftovers and Food Safety · FoodSafety.gov storage chart