EDIT on APRIL 20, 2008: Yes its been many months since I originally posted this, but I get google hits on this particular blog entry at least once a week. What are people searching for when they come here? "How to burn your house down for insurance money" or "how to burn a house down without being caught" seem to be quite popular. Now, if I can see what people are searching, complete with their IP address, directly tracing back to their computer, imagine what law enforcement or an insurance investigator could find.  Think twice peeps. Really, burning a house down, intentionally.. is very illegal.

Lets give a wee bit of backstory first.
Once upon a time, when Cassidy was but a mere infant, Richard and I had this great neighbor named Yonden. Since we would often have Yonden over for dinner, he wanted to repay us in some way. So a day was set, and ingredients were purchased, and people came over, all to involve Richard and I, in the community art of making his native momos. I've had momos since then, most noteably at Himal Chuli, on State St in Madison. These were a very spicey variation, which were delish, but not like Yondens.
Anyhoo... I was talking to Susan last weekend about steamer cooking, and mentioned momos. That got me thinking, and craving Yonden's momos. So I set out to find a recipe. We shopped earlier in the week for the makings, and planned an attempt.
Last night was the night.

Really, it was all going so well. My dough came out great, I had
little problem actually putting them together (although, as is said
about momos, they really should be a community effort) and the first
batch out of my steamer pot, even though they stuck to the bottom,
tasted goooooood.

What
happened next, is what every cook should never do.. and that is, step
away from the stove, even when you are boiling water. Thats right peeps. I nearly set my home ablaze by boiling water!
Left to right...burned momos - the scene of the crime, the pot (after being soaked since last night) - and the wall (ok..I did not burn the wall. That was there when we moved in and is on our list to replace, but its added for blogodrama â„¢ !)
In
my defense, I checked the water, and there was some (I didn't want to
stall the current batch by adding water that then needed to heat up to
temp and create steam again). I walked out of the room, as Richard was
walking in saying "have you checked the water?" By the time he got in
there, flames shooting up from the fat dripping down through the
strainer.

To make this interesting for my fibery friends, can you just frickin' imagine if I were steaming dyed yarn? If my wonderful woolies caught on FIRE? I shudder.. seriously.

To make life allll better..I'm heading to Creekside Books in Skaneateles tonight to see Stephanie. Are you going? Look for me.. I'll be the one knitting (ha!)