Let us discuss a few important dishes from NEPALI CUISINE:
1. TONGBA: Better known as 'Tibetan Hot Beer', this is a very famous local beer that you'll find people sipping from a cast like vessels through bamboo straws. It is millet-based alcohol and is also a traditional drink in Nepal. It is a warm beverage and is normally consumed in large quantities.
2. CHOILA: Also a part of the extensive Newari cuisine, this food in Nepal is a spicy one made with water buffalo meat. There are also other variants of Chhoila that use duck meat or normal meat. This is a hot and spicy savory dish served with rice flakes. This is also a part of the Samay Baji and is a very famous dish during festivities
3. SAMAY BAJI: One of the main dishes in Nepalese food, the Samay Baji is a gourmet dish that has been passed on along the generations of Nepali people. It is a platter containing barbecued buffalo meat, boiled egg along with beaten rice, and spicy potato salad. It is a traditional dish that is served on auspicious occasions in the Newari culture. This dish is a must-try in Nepal, if you are a person who loves perfectly cooked meat and spicy dishes.
4. THUKPA: It is a noodle soup, served in the mountains of Nepal during winters. It can have meat, egg or simply just vegetables. It is normally served along with a dish called Momos. This dish carries along with it a lot of inspiration from the Tibetan and Chinese cuisines. The meat used in Thukpa can be goat, lamb, chicken or even yak. This dish is more like a survival kit against the shivering cold on the mountains. Along with a great taste, it provides the locals with the perfect nutrients they need.
5. CHATAMARI: Normally referred to as the Nepali Pizza, this Newari snack is actually not so close to a pizza when it comes to taste. It's rather a rice flour crepe cooked with toppings including coriander, minced meat, eggs, chopped onions, chilies and a lot of spices. It is only because of its round shape and appearance that it is referred to as a type of pizza. Quite a different dish amongst other food in Nepal, this one is a must-try.
6. JUJU DHAU: Also known as the 'king curd', Juju Dhau is a type of yogurt. It is a creamy, thick, and sweet dish normally preferred as a dessert. Made with buffalo milk, this dish is very famous among the Newari’s people and is a must try if you are visiting Bhaktapur. You'll find a lot of street-side vendors selling Juju Dhau in Bhaktapur.
7. GORKHALI LAMB: It is a collection of assorted flavors all stuffed into one package. Gorkhali lamb is essentially a curry dish that is prepared by slow-cooking the lamb in the curry along with potatoes and onions. It is then removed from the curry, grilled and covered with a layer of spicy chili mix giving it an intense flavor. It is then put back into to curry to cook for a bit longer. Lamb is one of the favorites of the Nepalese and this dish will surely be something worth trying.
8. GUNDRUK: This is a condiment or a side dish often accompanied by Dhido. It is considered as the national food in Nepal. It is actually fermented or pickled green and leafy vegetables. It is made by storing mustard, radish and cauliflower in an earthen pot which is then left to be pickled until the veggies inside release acidic juices and have undergone fermentation.
9. DHINDHO: Look into the corners of Kathmandu and in the Thamel region, you'll find a hidden delicacy, the Dhindo or Dhido Thali. It is actually a thick porridge prepared by boiling stone-ground cornmeal, buckwheat flour, millet flour with salt in water. It is the staple diet of the rural areas and is eaten with butter, vegetable curries, pickles, buttermilk and yoghurt.
10. YOMARI: A sweet dish prepared from rice dough and stuffed with a sweet paste made of coconut, sesame seeds and molasses, Yomari is a festival food in Nepal, made only during the festival of Yomari Punhi. This festival is celebrated each year in the winters to thank the Gods for a good harvest. This dish is very famous is Kathmandu and you might also find its spicy version made with lentil. Traditionally, the sweet snack is prepared on the December full moon in preparation for the winter crop harvest celebration among Newer communities. Yomari is more than just a festive sweet as it is inextricably linked with Newari identity. There’s a place in Patan city, called The Village Cafe, where you can get a taste of this delicacy.
11. EVEREST BEER: This local Nepali beer is made with rice and is a cheap buy. You might want to give it a go if you are a beer fan. There is also another local alcohol called Raksi which is the traditional beverage of Limbu people and it is normally served with pork or beef meat.
12.NEPALI SAMOSA: Samosas are typically a famous Indian delicacy but you get them fresh onto your plate in Nepal as well. It is a spicy dish and is a mixture of mashed potato and spices stuffed in a triangular envelope made of white flour. This is then fried to make the shell crunchy. If you're not a fan of spicy food, you might want to take a nibble and taste it first. These delicacies are served with a sweet red coloured Chutney and you might want to have them fresh off the pan.
13. SEL ROTI: A fusion of doughnut and bagel, Sel Roti is one of the most sought after snack in Nepal during festivals like Tihar and Dashain. It is a circular rice flour bread which is deeply fried to make it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. It is crispy and sweet and tastes best with yoghurt or veggies. Being a popular festival food in Nepal, this dish is a must on your culinary bucket list.
14. BARA OR WO: Wo is a kind of pancakes made by the Newari people of Nepal. The Newari’s are an indigenous group of locals in the Kathmandu valley. Wo is made with ground lentil (green or black) batter during the 'Sithi Nakha', a Newari festival. These Dal patties are light and perfect for snacks. For non-vegetarians, Bara can also be added with minced chicken and battered egg.
15. MOMOS: The next very popular dish is Momos. This is one of the favourites for tourists and is a must try for everyone visiting Nepal. Momos are small envelopes of white flour stuffed with veggies or minced lamb or chicken. They are served with different kinds of sauces and mayonnaise which makes the combination a delicious snack. This food in Nepal has taken India by storm and is a popular street food across many countries as well.
16. DAL BAHT: The staple food of each Nepali household, Dal Bhat is mainly rice served along with lentil soup and vegetable curry or chicken (or meat). This meal is the most beloved one amongst Nepali people as it's wholesome and provides with the needed nutrition.
17. Sekuwa : Known as Nepali styled meat barbecue, this is one of the very popular foods in Nepal that tourists simply have to indulge in. The grilled meat can either be pork, chicken, mutton, or a mixture of those. The meat is marinated with a combination of unique Nepali spices and herbs before being skewered on a stick and roasted in wood charcoal. You can enjoy the meat sticks as they are or they can be served with puffed rice and some pickles. Sekuwa can easily be found in a typical street food stall. However, one authentic place to try this tasty treat is at “Bajeko Sekuwa,” a famous food-chain designated for this particular food only and can be found in major cities in Nepal.
18. KWATI: A traditional Nepalese dish, kwāti is a thick stew comprising nine different varieties of sprouted beans. It literally translates to “hot soup,” with ‘kwa’ meaning hot and ‘ti’ meaning soup. The nine varieties include mung bean, black gram, field bean, rice bean, chickpea, soybean, cowpea, field bean, and garden pea.Sprouted beans are known for their enhanced levels of protein among many other great nutrients. Imagine how much of a protein boost you’ll get from a combination of 9 types of sprouted beans – well, that’s kwāti. High in nutrients, this dish can be eaten with rice or roti. This is one of the most typical dishes of the Brahmin and Newar tribe. It is often prepared as a ritual significance during the monsoon season in Nepal and enjoyed during the festival of Guni Punhi and Rakshya Bandhan.In addition to its ritual significance, Kwāti is eaten as a delicacy and for its health benefits. No wonder it is dubbed ‘the healthiest food of all’ and believed to cure a cold and cough instantly. A must try dish from Nepal.
Do’s & Don’ts while we eat food in Nepal!
There are quite a few rules to keep in mind when it comes to table manners and eating in Nepal. First of all, for the most part, the people of Nepal eat with their hands. Tourists might find it uncomfortable and can opt for spoons and forks instead. But if you want to eat the local way, remember to use your right hand. The reason is, as with some other cultures in the world, the left hand is considered “dirty” and it would be extremely rude to touch food with it. Another mealtime etiquette, is to avoid sharing eating utensils and drinking glasses. In a different scenario, you might, as a nice gesture, feel like offering another person a taste of your food. However, that would come across as strange in Nepali culture, so please, add it to your list of things to avoid. Another aspect to bear in mind is that in Nepali society, the elderly is highly respected. This can be clearly observed during meal times, when people hold off eating until the elderly start. You are also expected to wait for them to finish their meals before leaving your table. It may sound constricting, but when in Nepal, do as the Nepalese do.Please remember not to eat beef in front of a Hindu or Buddhist when visiting the country. Last but not least, try to finish everything on your plate. Any food left untouched or uneaten is taken as a message conveyer that it is not good enough.
ON A CONCLUDING NOTE
Nepal’s food is as culturally diverse as it is geographically and ethnically. But many of us are not aware of its richness and are more likely to be informed about the global cuisines than our own. Though food is an epitome of the culture and they have an intrinsic relationship, little attention is paid to understand, explore, and promote Nepali food culture, which defines who we are. Similar to other cultures around the world, food is at the centre of any festivals and celebrations in Nepali culture.
This is more evident in Newar community than any other. Bhoye, a lavish elaborated Newar feast organised during festivals, jaatras and special occasions, is an integral part of the Newar culture. The rich food culture can be attributed to its fertile valley, vibrant cross-border trading and a historically well-to-do economy. Making a yomari—a steamed rice flour cake filled with chaku—and sapumicha—buffalo tripe filled with bone marrow—are examples of the ingenuity of Newar cuisine as we discussed above as well.
One of the peculiar flavoring and my favorite ingredients is aromatic-nutty roasted mustard oil. The world is yet to discover. In embracing the commercial global cuisine, we are also forgetting our own ethnic food culture and heritage. It is imperative to preserve and promote Nepal’s rich and diverse food culture not just simply for the sake of tourism but most importantly to preserve our own variegated heritage, history, culture and identity, and for our next generation to experience.
Food connects us in a level that no other thing does and understanding other food culture will help us appreciate and respect each other’s culture more. I am sure this brief and to the point information about food and cuisine of Nepal has given as a fair idea on the cuisine and eating habits. Let us try to incorporate, adapt into, share and promote this very interesting & tasty cuisine as well around us spreading the good thoughts, good vibes and flavors!
