What Makes Harish Rawat's Mandua Momos Different? The Uttarakhand Twist On A Street-Food Favourite

Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat has showcased homemade mandua momos in an Instagram video, saying the finger millet-based snack offers both taste and nutrition. The clip has crossed 5.5 million views. Mandua, also known as ragi, is a traditional crop in Uttarakhand and is valued for its calcium, fibre and other nutrients.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has offered a regional twist on a popular street-food favourite by showcasing homemade mandua momos in an Instagram video. Made using mandua, or finger millet, the momo twist has caught viewers' attention, with Rawat claiming they offer both better taste and nutrition than conventional momos. In the video, Rawat presents the homemade snack and says, "Ye mandua ke momos hai, aur ye kisi bhi momos se behtar hai. Inme poushtikta bhi hai aur swaad bhi hai." His statement translates to, “These are mandua momos, and they are better than any other momos. They offer both nutrition and taste.”

The video has garnered more than 5.5 million views, drawing attention to a traditional Uttarakhand ingredient used in a familiar modern snack.

A local grain gets a street-food makeover

Momos are widely enjoyed across India and are usually prepared with a refined flour wrapper filled with vegetables or meat. Rawat's version puts a regional spin on the dish by using mandua flour for the wrapper.

The experiment offers another way to bring a traditional grain into everyday cooking, beyond familiar preparations such as rotis and porridge. It also connects Uttarakhand's food traditions with a snack popular among younger consumers.

Why mandua matters in Uttarakhand

Mandua, also known as ragi or finger millet, has a long history in Uttarakhand's food culture and farming traditions. It is an important traditional crop in the state's hill regions, where millets have helped support local diets and livelihoods. The grain is also part of the wider Barahnaja tradition, a diverse mix of crops grown in the region.

What makes mandua nutritious?

Finger millet is known for its calcium content and also provides dietary fibre, protein and minerals. The Indian Food Composition Tables list around 364 milligrams of calcium and 7.16 grams of protein per 100 grams of raw finger millet. These values describe the grain, not the finished momos, whose nutritional content depends on the wrapper, filling and cooking method.