What Turns Local Foods in Nepal Globally Popular?
It is well said that if you are keen to know a place, first learn about its popular cuisines and taste the unique recipes. It's high time you should try some exclusive recipes from Nepal, especially if you are visiting the Himalayan nation—Nepal trip. Some foods in Nepal as the region's popular recipes are, the ones you must try here. All of them are ethnically Nepalese authentic food yet have crossed miles away to international locations nowadays.
Variety of lip-smacking recipes
As indicated above, the food of a place is a product of its climate, soil, and ethnicity. Therefore, whenever you try recipes in a particular region, you get to know that place closely. Additional factors of the diversity of culture and influence of the foreign lands add up to the overall food character of any particular region or place where the richness of foods remains paramount.
Foods in Nepal, too, evolved in a similar crucible. Its ethnicity dominates its cuisine and is typical of the geographical composition of the Himalayan country that invites and welcomes tourists from worldwide locations.
Much of the foods in Nepal are a variation of Asian themes. A very strong influence of other nations like Tibetan, Thai, and, to a large extent, Indian cuisines are to be seen in its original cuisine. Among the "imported cuisines," its mainstay is the Momo– the famous Tibetan-style dumplings seasoned with Nepalese spices.
Dal-Bhat-Tarkari is a native equivalent of a sandwich of the West. Soups, lean curries, vegetables, salads, lean meat, pickles, and curd form the core of Nepalese daily consumption.
It is equally fun to enjoy the food of this area if you are proposing to visit, and necessary to weather the rigors of the local environment effectively. The extreme cold conditions prevalent for most of the year in Nepal necessitate eating body heat-generating foods.
Nepali Foods you should try while Visiting Nepal
.Having Nepali food recipes in the land of the best Himalayas, Nepal and especially if you are not too abreast of the region's culture and tradition, will surely bring a fascinating experience. Read on to the details of various mouth-watering foods in Nepal that helps you keep fit and happy at heart. It's time you try any of these recipes:
- Dal Bhat Tarkari
- Momo
- Newari Khaja Set
- Pulao
- Sel Roti
- Yomari
- Bara
- Chatamari
- Gundruk
- Dhindo
- Chhoila
- Samay Baji
- Juju Dhau
- Thukpa
- Gorkhali Lamb
Dal Bhat Tarkari – the staple eatery of Nepal
Well, you cannot escape it! It is all-pervading. Its enticing aroma will reach your nostrils all across Nepal. Dal Bhat Tarkari, locally known simply as the Dal Bhat recipe, is rice served along with lentil soup and vegetable curry or chicken or meat, whichever is preferred. And, if you are a vegetarian, ask for vegetables too. This wholesome and nutritious food keeps your body and mind together!
Hailing from Bengal, Dal Bhat is the National Dish of Nepal nowadays. A wide variety of accompaniments include pickle, lime, green chilies, chutney, and yogurt that add to the richness of Dal Bhat Tarkari to make it a popular recipe.
Momo – the common snack
Nepalese dumplings – that is Momo for you to taste. Momo is a fist-sized native food in Nepal eaten commonly as snacks and fillers. Made from steamed or fried white flour with the stuffing of vegetables or meat/chicken pieces, Momos are served with a delicious, strong, and spicy dip.
It is a great starter for the day, filling and energizing. The dip accompaniment is what lends tanginess to Momo. It will initiate the pickiest kids toward food, for sure. Try it and prove me wrong if you can!
Pulao – the in-thing of all times
Come summer, rainy, or winter- one commonality you find in Nepal is the famous omnipresence of Pulao. As rice is the staple diet of Nepalese, various delicacies made out of this grain are eaten extensively across the country. Pulao, too, is a rice preparation.
Rice is fried, cooked with vegetables, and seasoned with cumin seeds and turmeric. Various side dishes, from raita (raw pieces of onions, green chilly, and coriander left in the rarified curd) to papad and yogurt, are served along with Pulao. It is essentially a vegetarian dish and is rich in carbohydrates and nutrients. Its filling character keeps the tourists satiated for a longer time.
Sel Roti – the native version of Doughnut
Sel Roti is a cross between a doughnut and a bagel made of rice flour. Sel Roti is deep-fried bread served crunchy. It is almost an essential dish during local festivals such as Dashain and Tihar(for festival details, you may read: Major Festivals of Nepal).
Sel Roti is a breakfast menu for most people in Nepal. This is a soft, sweet, puffy, and crunchy item eaten with a dip in yogurt or select vegetables. Stand-alone Sel Roti recipe is equally great and can be tried too.
Eat it fresh and hot from street corner vendors or high-end restaurants. The taste of Sel Roti food is going to haunt you back home. Better get to know its recipe before leaving for home!
Yomari – the yummy one for your tummy
One of the traditional festival foods in Nepal, Yomari, is too yummy to give a go. It is offered in the wintertime to Gods to thank them for the bounty harvest. Don't worry if you are not there during winter. Yomari recipe is available nationwide, especially in Kathmandu and other major cities or towns throughout the year.
Yomari food is a sweet condiment prepared from rice dough stuffed with a sweet taste of coconut, sesame seeds, and sugar syrup. While this is the traditional recipe, the spicy lentil version has caught the fancy of this generation of people.
Dhido or Dhindo – a taste of the rustic
A special Nepali cuisine, Dhido or Dhindo, is a thali (a plate of the meal) eaten and relished by the rural folk. It is high in nutrients and micronutrients and a great source of energy-giving carbohydrates for the hard-working class.
Dhido food is a thick and consistent porridge, or Polenta, made out of boiling cornmeal, buckwheat flour, and millet flour in water with salt. With such a strong composition of various cereals, the Dhido recipe is rich in nutrients. It is a medium with which butter, vegetable curries, pickles, buttermilk, and yogurt are mixed and savored.
Gundruk – the great pickle
Gundruk is the condiment that jells greatly with Dhido. The placid Dhido is enlivened with a dash of Gundruk, which is nothing but a pickled preparation that is tasted by all and sundry. Vegetables and leafy vegetables are fermented in an earthen pot, along with mustard, radish, and cauliflower. The assorted vegetables are pickled until they release acidic juices after fermentation. It is considered Nepal's traditional and national food and is eaten with great interest.
Juju Dhau – the quintessential curd
It is one of the most common foods in Nepal. Available across the country, at street corners, and in remote areas, Juju Dhau is essentially curd made out of buffalo milk. It is a creamy, thick, sweet dish normally preferred as a dessert. It resembles the Yogurt of the West, though Juju Dhau comes in a single sweet flavor.
It is served in earthen bowls and tastes great after a sumptuous meal, whether for supper or lunch. The cool characteristic of this dish helps you keep your tummy from rumblings, especially after the lip-smacking spicy food you may have gulped a while ago.
Newari Khaja Set
This is a set of diverse dishes – as many as 200!- exclusive from the Newar region of the Himalayan nation of Nepal. The Newars are the indigenous people living in Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. And they are the ones who have taken food consumption to the next level, literally in terms of variety, taste, and quality.
The Newari Khaja Set consists of three categories – the Daily Meals, the Snack, and the Feasts. The daily meal is made up of rice, dal, and vegetables and is eaten both day and night.
The snack is for afternoons and contains beaten rice and roasted and curried soybeans. It is usual to savor Tea along with the snack. Food served at feasts is much more elaborate, culminating in curd, sugar, and fruit.
Chatamari – the Pizza of the East
This is another Newari region snack normally called the Nepali Pizza – flour is the main difference from the parent Pizza. Chatamari is made out of rice flour instead of wheat flour. It is a rice flour crepe cooked with toppings including coriander, minced meat, eggs, chopped onions, chilies, and various spices. Chatamari is one of Nepal's unique foods; thus, it is a must-try.
Bara – the brew impeccable
A tasty concoction of black and moong lentils in unison with beaten eggs, lean ground chicken or lamb, and minced vegetables with a dash of salt, ginger, and garlic make the Bara recipe a lip-smacking dish of Nepal.
This pancake look-alike dish is light and perfect for snacks. This also comes from Nepal's Newar region but has gained immense popularity nationwide.
Samay Baji
Samay Baji is a traditional gourmet dish of Nepal that has been passed on along the generations of Nepali people. It is essentially a platter containing barbecued buffalo meat, boiled egg, beaten rice, and spicy potato salad. No trip to Nepal would be complete without savoring the country's sumptuous and tasty traditional food.
Thukpa
It is a noodle soup and remains a favorite among children in particular. A winter special in the mountainous regions of Nepal, Thukpa food can be a vegetarian delicacy and a non-vegetarian dish. It goes well as an accompaniment with Momos too.
Having a strong stamp of Tibetan cuisine, Thukpa can be made by adding pieces of goat, lamb, or chicken. It serves as a heat generator in Nepal's hilly and extremely cold regions. Along with its great taste, Thukpa is a source of much-needed nutrients for the body.
Chhoila
Another attraction of Newari cuisine is the famous Chhoila recipe. Probably the spiciest of the foods in Nepal, Chhoila is made of buffalo meat. Other variants are also much in demand that has duck or normal meat, as preferred.
Chhoila is a hot and spicy savory dish served with rice flakes.
Gorkhali Lamb
One more popular winter dish in Nepal, Gorkhali lamb, remains sought after amongst the locals as much as adventure travelers of Nepal. Lamb is a traditional source of meat in Nepal due to its tender texture and taste. Preparing Gorkhali lamb is time-consuming, but when it is ready, it will consume you with its wonderful taste.
Served with rice and roti, this dish is Nepalese comfort food at its finest, and whether or not you and your family are visiting during winter's chill, it's a pleasing and filling experience.
Kwanti
Kwanti is also treated as one of Nepal's most popular and authentic dishes. It is a mixed soup of nine types of sprouted beans, i.e., gram(black and green), field pea, garden pea, cowpea, rice bean, chickpea, field bean, and soybean. These beans are soaked together in water for four to five days until they are germinated. They are boiled with various spices to make the soup a bit thicker. Also, some may add mutton meat for its better taste too. Anyone can prepare this stew-like soup anytime, but it has a special day too. Locals prepare it during the Nepali festival of Janai Purnima or Kwaanti Purnima. It is treated as one of the healthier foods in Nepal as it's enriched in protein and provides high energy.
See also:
- Good and Bad Things about Nepal
- How to Stay Healthy during Nepal Trekking?
- How to get the Best Travel Experience in Nepal?
Final Words:
Perhaps, you are by now rearing to head towards the land of Mt.Everest (for details, go through: Where is Mount Everest located?) to devour such exemplary foods. The Himalayan nation has no shortage of tasty dishes, as several identify the region to its fullest. Try out and recommend your favorite ones!