Momos in Air Fryer: Frozen, Fresh and Reheat Times (Can You Steam Them?)

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Making momos in air fryer baskets is the easy way to get crisp momos without a kadai of oil. Frozen momos go in straight from the freezer at 200 degrees C for 8 to 10 minutes.

This guide covers frozen, fresh and leftover momos. It also answers the big question: can an air fryer steam momos?

Why Do Momos Work So Well in an Air Fryer?

Philips India says an air fryer is closer to a mini convection oven than a deep fryer. SDSU Extension puts it simply: "Air fryers work by circulating extremely hot air around food."

That is why a momo wrapper crisps so fast. It is thin and dry on the outside, so hot air browns it quickly.

Stat check: Healthline says many deep-fried recipes call for "up to 3 cups (750 mL) of oil", while air-fried foods need "only about 1 tablespoon (15 mL)". Source: Healthline.

How Do You Make Frozen Momos in an Air Fryer?

What you need: 10 to 12 frozen momos of any filling, and an oil spray or a brush.

1. Skip the thawing. Take the momos straight from the freezer. Thawed momos turn sticky and tear.
2. Oil every side. A light spray is enough. Without oil the wrapper dries out instead of crisping.
3. One layer only. Leave a small gap between each momo so hot air can reach every side.
4. Cook at 200 degrees C. Set 8 to 10 minutes for most frozen packs.
5. Flip halfway. At about 5 minutes, turn each momo and spray the pale side.
6. Check. If they still look pale, give them 2 more minutes.

Do you need to preheat? It helps a little but is not a must.

Philips India suggests you preheat for a minute or two, then load the basket.

Here are the times for every kind of momo at a glance.

How Do You Cook Prasuma Momos in an Air Fryer?

Prasuma calls its momos fully cooked and ready to heat and serve. Its listing on Hyperpure says "Pre-steamed, do not thaw before cooking".

The same listing gives air frying as 8 to 10 minutes at 200 degrees C. It also lists steaming for 3 to 4 minutes and pan frying for 4 minutes.

Using another brand? Read the back of your pack.

If it says pre-steamed, fully cooked, or heat and serve, the air fryer only has to crisp the wrapper.

If the pack gives a raw meat warning or a long cooking time, steam the momos first. This matters most for chicken momos.

Can You Steam Momos in an Air Fryer?

Steam and hot air do opposite things to a wrapper. Steam makes it soft and see-through, while dry air browns it.

The Philips India range page lists its air fryers under Rapid Air technology, a hot-air system. So if you want soft steamed momos, use a steamer.

Some people wrap momos loosely in foil to trap a little moisture. That is not true steaming, and our guide on using aluminium foil in an air fryer explains how to do it safely.

How Long Do You Steam Frozen Momos?

Serious Eats says to steam frozen dumplings for about 10 minutes if going directly from the freezer. Pre-steamed packs need far less, so always check the label.

A steamer that sits on your counter makes this step easy. The InstaCuppa kettle cum cooker comes with a steamer tray made for momos.

InstaCuppa Electric Kettle Cum Cooker with Momo Steamer, 1.2 L (from Rs 1,499)

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Want to compare steamers first? Read our guide to the best steamer for momos at home.

You can also see what else you can cook in an electric kettle with a steamer basket.

How Do You Cook Fresh Momos in an Air Fryer?

1. Steam first. Use a steamer or idli stand lined with an oiled cloth. Steam for about 10 minutes.
2. Cool a little. Wait 2 minutes so the wrapper firms up and does not tear.
3. Oil spray. Mist every side lightly.
4. Air fry. Cook at 180 degrees C for about 5 minutes, until golden.

Why steam first? The air fryer cooks from the outside in.

The wrapper can burn before raw chicken or paneer filling is cooked through.

Folding momos by hand takes practice. A simple press and mould shapes neat, sealed momos in seconds.

InstaCuppa 2 in 1 Dumpling and Momos Maker (Rs 295)

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For the full dough and steaming method, see our recipe for how to make momos at home.

How Do You Reheat Momos in an Air Fryer?

Cold steamed momos from last night work well too. After reheating, they taste closer to fried momos than steamed ones.

What Chutney Goes With Air Fryer Momos?

Momos feel incomplete without a dip. Here are three easy ones.

1. Spicy red chutney: Soak 5 or 6 dry red chillies in warm water for 10 minutes. Grind with 4 garlic cloves, 1 small tomato, 1 tsp oil, salt and half a tsp of vinegar.
2. Mayo and sriracha: Mix 3 tbsp mayonnaise with 1 tbsp sriracha and half a tsp of lemon juice. It is creamy and mildly spicy.
3. Soy and chilli dip: Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp chilli oil and half a tsp of sugar. It is light and salty.

Steamed, Fried or Air Fryer Momos: Which Is Better?

A lab study on fish nuggets shows the size of the gap. The air-fried nuggets held far less oil than the deep-fried ones, as the published study reports.

Stat check: In that study, air-fried fish nuggets had 63.2 to 64.7 percent less oil than deep-fried ones. Momos were not tested, so treat it as a guide. Source: PubMed Central.

Which Air Fryer Works Best for Momos?

New to air fryers? Our first-time air fryer guide covers setup and the first few cooks.

Prefer to brush oil on by the spoon? The InstaCuppa glass oil dispenser measures oil in teaspoons, so you use just a little.

Affiliate note: we earn a small commission on Amazon links above, at no cost to you.

How Do You Stop Air Fryer Momos Going Wrong?

• Use oil. Without it, the wrapper turns dry and papery.
• Do not crowd the basket. Touching momos stick and cook unevenly.
• Do not thaw. Thawed momos turn sticky and tear.
• Flip once. More flips risk tearing the wrapper.
• Serve hot. The crunch fades as the momos sit.

Love frozen snacks in the air fryer? Try our air fryer samosa guide next.

What Filling Should You Put in Homemade Momos?

Momos come from the Himalayas. Wikipedia notes that debate exists about whether momos spread from the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal to Tibet or the other way around.

Smithsonian Magazine adds that the dish was initially popular with the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. Today, these fillings are the most loved in Indian homes.

Veg: Cabbage, carrot, spring onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Squeeze out the water so the filling stays dry.

Chicken: Minced chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and chilli sauce. Raw chicken filling must be steamed fully before air frying.

Paneer: Crumbled paneer, capsicum, onion, green chilli and coriander. It turns soft and creamy inside the wrapper.

Steam Momos Fast: Shop the InstaCuppa Kettle Cooker

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Some links here are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only point to products we would suggest to our own family.