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Nepal's Food: Nepal is similar to many countries within South Asia, as it successfully combines a range of characteristics from its neighboring with its own gastronomic history, resulting in foods that are rich with flavor and culture. Recipes from Nepalese cuisine can be relatively simple and the flavors subtle. countries The Food of Nepal is as diverse as the country itself. The food in Nepal differs from the one culture to the another. However, here's a typical sample of food from different cultures in Nepal.
Dal-Bhat and Tarkari- Translated as lentils, Rice, and curried vegetables. It is the main staple diet of most Nepali people.
Nepali Snacks:
Chataamari (Newari): Chatānmari is a kind of rice crepe. Chatamari is crepe made out of rice floor and topped with chopped or ground red meat with seasoning. It is a traditional specialty of the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal and is eaten during festivals and other special occasions. Food resembles Pizza or Dosa (South Indian), rice flour flat bread cooked over, heat with tappings such as minced meat (with or without some vegetable ), egg, sugar or no tappings.
Choyla (Newari): grilled/ roasted spicy meat, usually eaten as appetizer with liquor.
Gundruk: Gundruk is fermented leafy green vegetable and is a popular food in Nepal and claimed to be one of the national dishes. It is popular not only in Nepal but also in the every gorkhali or Nepalese household worldwide. It is served as a side dish with the main meal and is also used as an appetizer and can be made into a soup
Kwati (Newari): This is a wonderful traditional soup from the Himalayas. The common threads are the use of a variety of beans including some lentils and peas, that they be sprouted before cooking, and that it is a curry. There it is called “Hot Beverage of Pulses and Beans”, or Kwati, from Nepal. It is made for a religious festival, soup with many beans, a festival specialty.
Momo (Newari): Momo is a type of dumpling native to Tibet and Nepal. It is similar to Chinese baozi and jiaozi, Mongolian buuz, Japanese gyoza, Afghan mantu, and Korean mandu, a dumplings filled minced meat, usually buffalo in Nepal, Turkey elsewhere served steam or fried, very popular appetizer afternoon snack or evening meals.
Samay Bhaji (Newari): beaten rice with roasted meat, smoked fish, boiled-then-fried egg, black soy-beans and diced ginger, usually ritual food.
Sekawa: grilled meat usually made from mutton, duck, chicken, buff, wild boar.
Sal: doughnut like shaped dessert/snack made from rice-flour.
Sukuti: Sukuti is the Nepali word for dry meat (jerky). Sukuti is either consumed directly or charbroiled and spiced as an appetizer or snack or mixed with other ingredients and served as side dish such as in sukuti ko achar, which is a side dish, usually with tomato sauce.spicy dried meat roasted over a charcoal fire.
Aloo Tama: potato made with bamboo shoots.
Taw Khoa (Newar) jello of meat soup served cold.
Wo: (Newari) flour patty made of lentils with or without meat/ egg tapping used in ritual or festival or used as snack.
Nepali Main Dish:
Aloo Tama: Aloo Tama simply means "Potato Bamboo Shoots". This is one of the popular dishes in Nepali / Newari cuisine. In Newari style Bhoj (feast) you will always find this dish. It is a unique and classic Nepali curry flavour dish. Aloo Tama is a classic Nepali soup prepared with black eyed beans, potatoes, bamboo shoots and spices. Tama is a non-fermented bamboo shoot product. Aloo tama is well-loved comfort food cooked almost in every household throughout Nepal. The enduring popularity of this dish is that, it is extremely tasty and very appetizing mainly for its slightly sour and pungent taste.
Dal: Dal is a dried pulse which has been split. Lentil soup usually eaten with rice most popular lentils used as dal in Nepal are black, red and yellow.
Sag: Green vegetables, spinach, mustard greens or broad- leaved mustard. A standard accompaniment to plain rice lunch or dinner.
Masu: meat with spices (curry) and gravy, usually soured rice. Most Nepalese eat children, mutton. Some eat buffalo and pork.
Bhat: Bhat (Nepali) means boiled rice in languages such as Assamese, Nepali, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati. Chawal means boiled rice in Hindi. At higher elevations in Nepal where rice does not grow well, other grain such as maize, buckwheat, barley or millet may be substituted in a cooked preparation called dhido or atho in Nepal. Bhat may be supplemented with roti in Nepal (rounds of unleavened bread).
Vegetable Tarkari: Vegetable tarkaris, are a spicy vegetable curry, which is very popular in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. Preparation methods for tarkaris range from simple dishes to complex ones any vegetables or group of vegetables in curry,usually both.
Relishes
Achar: Achar also known as South Asian pickles or Indian subcontinent pickles, are made from certain individual varieties of vegetables and fruits that are chopped into small pieces and cooked in edible oils a sour, spicy pickle, can be made in thousands way, the most popular are made of ground tomatoes, sliced radish, ground coriander, boiled or diced potatoes.
Sanya Khuna Takha and Sanya Khuna are two of the wintertime favourite foods of the Newars of Nepal, especially in Kathmandu. Takha (originally Ta Khwa, meaning 'frozen stuff') is a frozen dish made from buffalo meat (only male buffalo meat is acceptable in a typical Newari kitchen). Sanya Khuna (sanya is 'dried fish'; khuna means 'boiled or cooked') is a frozen fish soup. Both Takha and Sanya Khuna are often prepared and served together, due to the similar preparation methods, hot, spicy, salty jello type food.
Nepali Desserts
Dahi: Yogurt/curd.
Juju Dhau: One of the popular Newari desserts, Juju Dhau literally means the ‘king of yoghurts’ in Newari language. Dhau (yogurt), known as dahi in Nepali is an important aspect of Nepali culture and daily life.It is also one of the most common and popular item in the Nepali kitchen, usually people do not miss including dahi in their meals or even snacks as most of the Nepalese love to eat dahi-chiura (yogurt and beaten rice). A specialty of people of Bhaktapur, Juju dhau in Nepal is famous as Bhaktapurko Juju dhau meaning Juju dhau of Bhaktapur.
Sikarni: curd mixed with dried fruits
Nepali Drink
Rakshi: Liquor.
Thon (Newari): or chyang (Tibetan) the milky white beer/liquor made from fermented rice.
Togba: a popular liquor in the hills, made by pouring hot water into a pot of fermented millet and drunk with a bamboo straw.
Nepal Climate
Nepal's weather is generally predictable and pleasant. There are four climate seasons:
1 Spring: March-May
2 Summer: June-August
3 Autumn: September-November
4 Winter: December-February
The monsoon is approximately from the end of June to the middle of September. About 80 percent of the rain falls during that period, so the remainder of the year is dry. Spring and Autumn are the most pleasant seasons; Winter temperature drop to freezing with a high level of snowfall in the mountains. Summer and late Spring temperature range from 28° C (83° F) in the hill region to more than 40° C (104° F) in the Terai. In Winter, average maximum and minimum temperature in the Terai range from a brisk 7° C (45° F) to a mild 23° C (74° F). The central valleys experience a minimum temperature often falling below freezing point and a chilly 12° C (54° F) maximum. The Kathmandu Valley, at a altitude of 1310 m ( 4293 ft), has a mild climate ranging from 19-27° C ( 67-81° F) in Summer, and 2-20° C (36-68° F) in Winter.
Nepal Festivals
Nepal is not only the land of mountains; it is also the land of festivals. There are more than 50 festivals celebrated in Nepal every year. While the national festivals have fixed dates, religious festivals are set by astrologers following the lunar calendar. The rich cultural heritage of Nepal is manifested by the diverse social customs and festivals.
Read more>>>
Nepali Snacks:
Chataamari (Newari): Chatānmari is a kind of rice crepe. Chatamari is crepe made out of rice floor and topped with chopped or ground red meat with seasoning. It is a traditional specialty of the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal and is eaten during festivals and other special occasions. Food resembles Pizza or Dosa (South Indian), rice flour flat bread cooked over, heat with tappings such as minced meat (with or without some vegetable ), egg, sugar or no tappings.
Choyla (Newari): grilled/ roasted spicy meat, usually eaten as appetizer with liquor.
Gundruk: Gundruk is fermented leafy green vegetable and is a popular food in Nepal and claimed to be one of the national dishes. It is popular not only in Nepal but also in the every gorkhali or Nepalese household worldwide. It is served as a side dish with the main meal and is also used as an appetizer and can be made into a soup
Kwati (Newari): This is a wonderful traditional soup from the Himalayas. The common threads are the use of a variety of beans including some lentils and peas, that they be sprouted before cooking, and that it is a curry. There it is called “Hot Beverage of Pulses and Beans”, or Kwati, from Nepal. It is made for a religious festival, soup with many beans, a festival specialty.
Momo (Newari): Momo is a type of dumpling native to Tibet and Nepal. It is similar to Chinese baozi and jiaozi, Mongolian buuz, Japanese gyoza, Afghan mantu, and Korean mandu, a dumplings filled minced meat, usually buffalo in Nepal, Turkey elsewhere served steam or fried, very popular appetizer afternoon snack or evening meals.
Samay Bhaji (Newari): beaten rice with roasted meat, smoked fish, boiled-then-fried egg, black soy-beans and diced ginger, usually ritual food.
Sekawa: grilled meat usually made from mutton, duck, chicken, buff, wild boar.
Sal: doughnut like shaped dessert/snack made from rice-flour.
Sukuti: Sukuti is the Nepali word for dry meat (jerky). Sukuti is either consumed directly or charbroiled and spiced as an appetizer or snack or mixed with other ingredients and served as side dish such as in sukuti ko achar, which is a side dish, usually with tomato sauce.spicy dried meat roasted over a charcoal fire.
Aloo Tama: potato made with bamboo shoots.
Taw Khoa (Newar) jello of meat soup served cold.
Wo: (Newari) flour patty made of lentils with or without meat/ egg tapping used in ritual or festival or used as snack.
Nepali Main Dish:
Aloo Tama: Aloo Tama simply means "Potato Bamboo Shoots". This is one of the popular dishes in Nepali / Newari cuisine. In Newari style Bhoj (feast) you will always find this dish. It is a unique and classic Nepali curry flavour dish. Aloo Tama is a classic Nepali soup prepared with black eyed beans, potatoes, bamboo shoots and spices. Tama is a non-fermented bamboo shoot product. Aloo tama is well-loved comfort food cooked almost in every household throughout Nepal. The enduring popularity of this dish is that, it is extremely tasty and very appetizing mainly for its slightly sour and pungent taste.
Dal: Dal is a dried pulse which has been split. Lentil soup usually eaten with rice most popular lentils used as dal in Nepal are black, red and yellow.
Sag: Green vegetables, spinach, mustard greens or broad- leaved mustard. A standard accompaniment to plain rice lunch or dinner.
Masu: meat with spices (curry) and gravy, usually soured rice. Most Nepalese eat children, mutton. Some eat buffalo and pork.
Bhat: Bhat (Nepali) means boiled rice in languages such as Assamese, Nepali, Bengali, Marathi, and Gujarati. Chawal means boiled rice in Hindi. At higher elevations in Nepal where rice does not grow well, other grain such as maize, buckwheat, barley or millet may be substituted in a cooked preparation called dhido or atho in Nepal. Bhat may be supplemented with roti in Nepal (rounds of unleavened bread).
Vegetable Tarkari: Vegetable tarkaris, are a spicy vegetable curry, which is very popular in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. Preparation methods for tarkaris range from simple dishes to complex ones any vegetables or group of vegetables in curry,usually both.
Relishes
Achar: Achar also known as South Asian pickles or Indian subcontinent pickles, are made from certain individual varieties of vegetables and fruits that are chopped into small pieces and cooked in edible oils a sour, spicy pickle, can be made in thousands way, the most popular are made of ground tomatoes, sliced radish, ground coriander, boiled or diced potatoes.
Sanya Khuna Takha and Sanya Khuna are two of the wintertime favourite foods of the Newars of Nepal, especially in Kathmandu. Takha (originally Ta Khwa, meaning 'frozen stuff') is a frozen dish made from buffalo meat (only male buffalo meat is acceptable in a typical Newari kitchen). Sanya Khuna (sanya is 'dried fish'; khuna means 'boiled or cooked') is a frozen fish soup. Both Takha and Sanya Khuna are often prepared and served together, due to the similar preparation methods, hot, spicy, salty jello type food.
Nepali Desserts
Dahi: Yogurt/curd.
Juju Dhau: One of the popular Newari desserts, Juju Dhau literally means the ‘king of yoghurts’ in Newari language. Dhau (yogurt), known as dahi in Nepali is an important aspect of Nepali culture and daily life.It is also one of the most common and popular item in the Nepali kitchen, usually people do not miss including dahi in their meals or even snacks as most of the Nepalese love to eat dahi-chiura (yogurt and beaten rice). A specialty of people of Bhaktapur, Juju dhau in Nepal is famous as Bhaktapurko Juju dhau meaning Juju dhau of Bhaktapur.
Sikarni: curd mixed with dried fruits
Nepali Drink
Rakshi: Liquor.
Thon (Newari): or chyang (Tibetan) the milky white beer/liquor made from fermented rice.
Togba: a popular liquor in the hills, made by pouring hot water into a pot of fermented millet and drunk with a bamboo straw.
Nepal Climate
Nepal's weather is generally predictable and pleasant. There are four climate seasons:
1 Spring: March-May
2 Summer: June-August
3 Autumn: September-November
4 Winter: December-February
The monsoon is approximately from the end of June to the middle of September. About 80 percent of the rain falls during that period, so the remainder of the year is dry. Spring and Autumn are the most pleasant seasons; Winter temperature drop to freezing with a high level of snowfall in the mountains. Summer and late Spring temperature range from 28° C (83° F) in the hill region to more than 40° C (104° F) in the Terai. In Winter, average maximum and minimum temperature in the Terai range from a brisk 7° C (45° F) to a mild 23° C (74° F). The central valleys experience a minimum temperature often falling below freezing point and a chilly 12° C (54° F) maximum. The Kathmandu Valley, at a altitude of 1310 m ( 4293 ft), has a mild climate ranging from 19-27° C ( 67-81° F) in Summer, and 2-20° C (36-68° F) in Winter.
Nepal Festivals
Nepal is not only the land of mountains; it is also the land of festivals. There are more than 50 festivals celebrated in Nepal every year. While the national festivals have fixed dates, religious festivals are set by astrologers following the lunar calendar. The rich cultural heritage of Nepal is manifested by the diverse social customs and festivals.Read more>>>