Himalayan Yak's namesake momo are packed with juicy morsels of meat.

In the run-up to the Asian Feastival, World’s Fare will be profiling the participants. The Feastival’s mission is to showcase the diversity of delicious Asian cuisines in New York City’s most delicious and diverse borough. Korean, Thai, Malaysian, Filipino, Nepalese, Indonesian, and regional Chinese are just some of the cuisines that will be represented under one roof.  Today we take a look at Himalayan Yak, which brings a cuisine from the rooftop of the world to Jackson Heights.
 
Can a dumpling be considered a country’s national dish? It can if that country is Tibet. The crescent-shaped dumplings known as momo are wildy popular with Tibetans and Nepalese who flock to Jackson Heights for a taste of home. At least a dozen restaurants in the area serve momo, but Himalayan Yak, tops the list for me because it serves momo made from the restaurant’s namesake meat. It’s also the area’s first Nepalese restaurant and can be said to have started the enclave of Himalayan restaurants and businesses I like to call Little Tibet. (Interestingly enough the restaurant sources alls the meat for its yak dishes from Vermont Yak, which has the distinction of having that state’s first yak herd.) 

Turmeric, coriander, and ginger give Himalayan’s Yak’s momo a savory kick.

Yak meat is higher in protein than beef, yet it also contains far less fat. This fact never ceases to amaze me since the yak momo here are always incredibly juicy. They’re also incredibly flavorful having been seasoned with ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cilantro, and green onions. On a good day I can easily  polish off an entire steamer’s worth.  

Bhaktcha markhu: pasta as dessert.

Himalayan Yak has a lengthy menu filled with many Indian and Nepali  dishes, including one of my favorite tripe preparations, the fiery dhoepa kkhatsa, and some wonderful vegetarian thalis. One of the most intriguing dishes is neither filled with gnarly offal nor humming with spice. It happens to be a dessert called bhaktcha markhu, which somehow manages to channel my mother’s home cooking.  The menu lists it as “Hand made pasta lightly rolled in roasted barley, sugar, butter and grated sauce.” The chewy pasta is sweet and nutty, reminded me of Mom's pasta with ricotta and sugar. It's just the thing after what’s often a meal filled with the fire of chili, ginger, and garlic. It also tastes a helluva a lot like store bought cavatelli, mainly because as I found out the other day, it is. The Yak can be forgiven for taking such a short cut, if only because they’ve managed to serve a dish from a half a world away that brings me back to my childhood on Long Island.

Himalayan Yak will be making its signature momo ar the Asian Feastival on September 6 from 12-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. Be sure to check back for more posts about participating restaurants and shops.

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Himalayan Yak, 72-20 Roosevelt Ave., Jackson Heights, 718-779-1119