Nepalese cuisine

Nepali cuisinecomprises a variety of cuisines based uponethnicity, alluvial soil andclimaterelating tocultural diversityandgeographyofNepaland neighboring regions ofSikkimandGorkhaland.Dal-bhat-tarkari(Nepali:दाल भात तरकारी) is eaten throughout Nepal.Dalis a soup made oflentilsand spices,bhat— usuallyricebut sometimes another grain — and a vegetable curry,tarkari. Condiments are usually small amounts of spicypickle(achaar, अचार) which can be fresh or fermented, mainly of dried mustard greens (calledgundruk ko achar) and radish (mula ko achar) and of which there are many varieties.Other accompaniments may be slicedlemon(nibuwa) orlime(kagati) with fresh green chilli (hariyo khursani) and a friedpapadand also Islamic food items like rice pudding, sewai, biryani etc.Dhindo(ढिंडो) is a traditional food of Nepal. A typical example of Nepali cuisine is the Chaurasi Byanjan (Nepali:चौरासी व्यञ्जन) set where bhat (rice) is served in a giant leaf platter (patravali) along with 84 different Nepali dishes each served on small plates.It is mostly fed during weddings andPasni(rice feeding ceremony).
Momois a Himalayan dumpling, filled with minced meat in a flour dough, given different shapes and then cooked by steaming.It is one of the most popular foods in Nepal and the regions of Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in India where Nepali-speaking Indians have a presence. Momo were originally filled withbuffalomeat but are now commonly filled with goat or chicken, as well as vegetarian preparations. Special foods such assel roti,finni rotiandpatreare eaten during festivals such asTihar.Sel rotiis a traditional Nepali homemade ring-shaped rice bread which is sweet to taste. Other foods have hybridTibetanandIndianinfluence.
Chow meinis a Nepali favorite in modern times based on Chinese-style stir-fried noodles. It is one of the most beloved everyday staple lunches in Nepali households.
Dal-bhat-tarkari is the standard meal eaten twice daily traditionally by the Khas people. However, with land suitable for irrigated rice paddies in short supply, other grains supplement or even dominate. Wheat becomes unleavened flat bread (rotiorchapati).Maize(makai),buckwheat(fapar),barley(jau), ormillet(kodo) becomeporridge-like (dhidoorato).Tarkarican be spinach and fresh greens (sag), fermented and dried greens (gundrukorsinki), whiteradish(mula),potatoes(alu),green beans(simi),tomatoes(golbeda),cauliflower(kauli),cabbage(bandakopi),pumpkin(farsi), etc.
The climate of the hilly region remains moderate throughout the year. This kind of climate is perfect for horticulture.Fruits traditionally grown in the hills includemandarin orange(suntala),kaffir lime(kagati),lemon(kaagati),Asian pear(nashpati), andbayberry(kaphal),mangoes(aanp),apples(syauu), peach (aaru), plum (aalcha or aarubakhara), apricot (kurpani) .In some seasons there is an excess amount of these fruits produced. These excess fruits are often preserved or otherwise made use of in the form ofalcohol,pickles,dried fruitsandfruit juice. These alcohol are also serves in a different rituals of Newari culture.
Dahi(yogurt) andcurriedmeat (masu) orfish(machha) are served as side dishes when available.Chicken(kukhura) and fish are usually acceptable to all including the KhasBrahmin(Bahun) caste. Observant Hindus never eatbeef(gai ko masu). They also eschewbuffaloandyakmeat as being too cow-like. Domesticpork(sungur ko masu) was traditionally only eaten by aadibasi, howeverwild boar(bangur ko masu) was traditionally hunted and eaten bymagars. A strain derived from wild boar is now raised in captivity and used for meat that is increasingly popular with Pahari ethnicities and castes that did not traditionally eat pork. They however eat bandel (wild boar) as it is considered clean due to its forest habitat though they do not eat pork meat.
Himalayan cuisine is influenced culturally byTibetanand closely related ethnic groups in theHimalaya and Trans-Himalaya. TheHimalayan regionis not fertile as compared to otherregions. Moreover, the climate is cold throughout the year with heavy snowfalls.Thefood cropsgrown in this region arebuckwheat,millet,naked barley,common beans, andhigh-altitude rice.Potatoesare another important staple crop and food. Substantial amounts of rice are imported from the lowlands.
Because of the cold temperature, people often prefer warm foods likesoup,thukpa,teaand strongalcohols. Grains are made into alcoholic beverages (see below).Butter teais made by mixing butter or ghyu (घ्यु)/gheeand salt into a strong brew oftea. This tea preparation is also commonly mixed with tsampa flour to make a kind of fast food, which is especially eaten while traveling.
The cattle raised in this region areyak,chauries(yak and cow crossed),Himalayan goats, andsheep.People raise these animals formeat,milk,cheese, anddahi(yogurt).
Most of the Himalayan regions are hard to reach. There is no proper means of transportation because of higher altitudes and it is a considerable challenge to build good road transportation. Hence only rice and some condiments  such as salt are imported from other regions by air transport or by using animals as their means of transportation.
People in this region eatdhido(millet or barley cooked dough), potatocurry,momo (dumplings),Jhol Momo,Mokthuk, yak or goat or sheep meat, milk,thukpa,lapingor strong alcohol liketongba(millet juice) for their regular diet. This region also imports rice from other regions.Daal-bhat-tarkariis a staple in the cuisine served to the Everest-bound tourists.
Thakali food—transitional between Himalayan and lowland cuisines—is eaten byThakalipeople living inThak-Khola Valley, an ancient and relatively easy trade route through the high Himalaya. This cuisine is also served in inns (bhattis) run by Thakalis alongside other trade routes and inPokharaand other towns in the hills of central Nepal, that were said to offer the best food and accommodations before the great proliferation of facilities catering to foreign trekkers.
Very few Thakali own their ownyaks, so butter made from the yak milk is usually purchased at the market, along with other staples like rice, tea, lentils, sugar and spices. After butter is produced, a hard cheese calledchhurpiis made with the buttermilk.
Thakali cuisine is less vegetarian than Pahari cuisine.Yakand yak-cow hybrids locally known asJhopawere consumed by the lower castes. All castes eat the meat of localsheepcalledBhedaandChyangraorChiruimported from Tibet. Meat is sliced into thin slices and dried on thin poles near the cooking fire. Blood sausage is also prepared and dried. Dried meat is added to vegetable curries or sauteed in ghee and dipped intotimur-ko-choupwhich is a mixture of red chili powder,Sichuan pepper, salt and local herbs. This spice mixture also seasons new potatoes, or eggs which may be boiled, fried or made into omelets.
Thakali cuisine uses locally grown buckwheat, barley, millet and dal, as well as rice, maize and dal imported from lower regions to the south. Grain may be ground and boiled into a thick porridge that is eaten in place of rice with dal. A kind of dal is even made from dried, ground buckwheat leaves. Grain can be roasted or popped in hot sand (which is then sieved off) as a snack food. Thakalis also follow the Tibetan customs of preparing tsampa and tea with butter and salt.Gheeis used in this tea preparation and as a cooking oil otherwise.
Since most Thakali people were engaged in trade, they could import vegetables, fruits and eggs from lower regions. A large variety of vegetables were consumed daily, some—especiallydaikon radishandbeetroot—dried and often prepared with mutton. Soup prepared fromspinachknown asgyang-towas served with a pinch oftimur-ko-choup.Appleswere introduced following the arrival of foreign horticulturistsand are now widely enjoyed.
Newarsare anurbanizedethnic group originally living in the Kathmandu Valley, but now also in bazaar towns elsewhere in the world andMiddle Hills. In the fertile Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys, local market farmers find growing produce more profitable than grain, especially now that cheap rice and other staples can be trucked in. Furthermore, Newar households have relatively high incomes and their culture emphasizes food and feasting.
Although daily Newar food practices consist mostly of components from the generic hill cuisine, during ritual, ceremonial and festive eating, Newar dishes can be much more varied than the generic Pahade/Pahari ones. Newari cuisine widely usesbuffalomeat. For vegetarians, meat and dried fish can be replaced by fried tofu or cottage cheese. The cuisine has a wide range of fermented preparations, whereas Pahade/Pahari cuisine has beyond a fewaacharcondiments.
Kwāti(क्वाति soup of different beans),kachilā(कचिला spiced minced meat),chhoylā(छोयला water buffalo meat marinated in spices and grilled over the flames of dried wheat stalks),pukālā(पुकाला fried meat),wo(व: lentil cake),paun kwā(पाउँक्वा sour soup),swan pukā(स्वँपुका stuffed lungs),syen(स्येँ fried liver),mye(म्ये boiled and fried tongue),sapu mhichā(सःपू म्हिचा leaf tripe stuffed with bone marrow) andsanyā khunā(सन्या खुना jellied fish soup) are some of the popular festival foods.
Dessert consists ofdhau(धौ yogurt),sisābusā(सिसाबुसा fruits) andmari(मरि sweets). There areachaarsmade withaamlifruit.Thwon(थ्वँ rice beer) andaylā(अयला local alcohol) are the common alcoholic liquors that Newars make at home.
Food is of great importance in Newari culture.Newari cuisine is one of the most delicious food with intense flavorings.There are dishes for every edible part ofbuffalo meat(cooked and uncooked) that includesintestine,stomachandbrain.That's another reason why they are famous.
Lohorungare indigenous to easternNepal. They have a variety of food in their cuisine made from local ingredients. Some of them areWachipa,Wamik,Masikdaam,Sibring,Sel roti,Bawari,Dhule Achar,Saruwa,Chamre,Dibu, and so on.
Limbuhave unique ethnic foods includingkinema(fermented soybeans),yangben(Reindeer Moss), preparations of bamboo shoots, bread made from millet or buckwheat, and traditional Limbu drinkTongba(millet beer). Pork, chicken  is eaten in some Eastern regions like Dharan.
Food in theMadhesh Provincesouth ofSivalik Hillsrefers to mirror cuisines such asMaithilicuisinein the east, Tharu cuisine in the west, andBhojpuri cuisinein the center and near west ofMadheshprovince. Further west, there isMughlai-influencedAwadhi cuisine—particularly eaten by the substantial Muslim population aroundNepalganjbordering Madhesh region.
Madhesi diets can be more varied than in the Middle Hills because of greater variety of crops grown locally plus cash crops imported from cooler microclimates in nearby hill regions, as well as from other parts ofGreater Nepal. Fruit commonly grown in theMadheshincludemango(aap),litchi,papaya(armewa/mewa),banana(kera/kela/kola) andjackfruit(katahar/katahal).
A typical Madhesi food set includes basmati rice with ghee (gheu), pigeon pea daal, tarkari (cooked variety of vegetable),tarua(battered raw vegetables known as taruwa/baruwa such as potato, brinjal/aubergine, chili, cauliflower etc. deep fried in the oil), papad/papadum, mango/lemon pickles and yogurt. For non-vegetable items, they consume mostly fish or goat curry. Traditionally there never used to be poultry items but nowadays, due to urbanization, poultry items are common, too.
Nepalhas seven low elevationInner Terai valleysenclosed by theSivalikandMahabharatranges. Historically these valleys were extremelymalarialand populated mainly by theTharuwho had genetic resistance. Since the valleys were isolated from one another, Tharu enclaves spoke different dialects and had different customs. They may have had different cuisines, although this has not been very well studied. Nevertheless, most Tharu historically obtained a varied diet through hunting and gathering as well as shifting agriculture and animal husbandry.
This contrasted with diets of Pahade/Pahari Hindus that were predominantly agricultural and used only a few sources of animal protein because ofreligious or caste prohibitions. In the 1950s, when Nepal opened its borders to foreigners and foreign aid missions, malaria suppression programs in the Inner Madhesh made it possible for people without genetic resistance to survive there. The Tharu faced an influx of people fleeing landand food deficits in the hills. Conversion of forest and grassland to cropland and prohibitions on hunting shifted the Tharu in the east and west away from land-based hunting and gathering, toward greater use of fish,freshwater crab,prawnsandsnailsfrom rivers and ponds.
Tharu raise chickens and are reported to employ dogs to hunt rats in rice paddies and then roast them whole on sticks. Mutton may be obtained fromnomadichill peoplesuch asKham Magarwho take herds of sheep and goats up to sub-alpine pastures bordering the high Himalaya in summer, and down to Inner Madhesh valleys in winter. Increasing competition for land forces the Tharu people away fromshifting cultivationtoward sedentary agriculture, so the national custom of eating rice with lentils gains headway. The Tharu have unique ways of preparing these staples, such as rice and lentil dumplings calledbagiyaordhikriand immature rice is used to make a kind of gruel,maar.
Taroroot is an important crop in the region. The leaves and roots are eaten.Sidharais a mixture oftaroroot, dried fish andturmericthat is formed into cakes and dried for preservation. The cakes are broken up and cooked with radish, chili, garlic and other spices to accompany boiled rice. Snails are cleansed, boiled and spiced to makeghonghi.Another short compendium of Tharu recipesincludes roasted crab, wheat flatbread fried in mustard oil, and fried taro leaf cakes.
Nepal produces a variety of fruits (persimmons, apples, mangoes, tangerines, kiwis) and nuts that are featured in locally prepared sweets. Dessert is not a well-established concept in the Nepali cuisine and sweets made with milk, yogurt and cheese are often eaten for breakfast as standalone meals. Sometimes grated carrots are used instead of flour, or semolina, rice, corn or puffedlotus seeds.Barfiis made with some combination oflentils, fruits, flour and thickened milk.
Halwais a sweetenedsemolinapudding with green cardamom,cashews, raisins and shreddedcoconut. Like other Nepali sweets, Nepali puddings are prepared usingghee. Dumplings calledlal mohanare deep fried likefrittersand soaked in cardamom-flavored sweet syrup.
At the festival ofYomari Purnimacelebrated in December, to thank the goddess of grainsAnnapurnaafter the harvest, theNewarmake sweet dumplings (yomari) with rice flour filled with sesame seeds, and brown sugar or molasses. In the predominatelyHinducountry, sweetpedamade with thickened milk (khuwaa) are offered to the Hindu gods.
Snacksinclude maize popped or parched calledkhaja(literally "eat and run");beaten rice(bajiorchiura), dry-roastedsoybeans(bhatmas, Nepali: भटमास), dried fruit candy (lapsi), and South Asian foods like thesamosaandSouth Asian sweets. International snacks likebiscuits(packaged cookies),potato chipsandwai wai(Nepali: वाइ वाइ,instant noodles) are all coming into widespread use. Whereas, some youths in Nepal prefer western snacks as they are easy to get and less time-consuming.
Tea(chiya) usually taken with milk and sugar, juice ofsugarcane(sarbat), andbuttermilk(mahi) are common non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks includeraksi, spirits made in rustic distilleries, and jaand/jard, homemade beer made from rice. At higher elevations there is millet beerTongba, nigaarandchhyaang.
Western culture has influence in Nepali/Nepali cuisine. Western food likebread,cereals,bagels,pizzas,sandwiches,burgers, andpastaand drinks likeCoke,Fanta, andSpriteare common in cities and places where there are a reasonable number of tourists. Middle-class families residing in cities consume these foods on a daily basis. One can find them in almost all the restaurants around cities.
Although most homes and restaurants in cities have dining tables, meals in villages are often eaten seated on a tiny wooden seat (pira) or on chairs or benches. A large mound ofbhat,dhindoor a pile ofrotisis served on ajharke thal(a large brass plate) or akhande thal(a compartment plate). On thejharke thal, the rice is surrounded by smaller mounds of prepared vegetables, fresh chutney or preserved pickles, and sometimes curd/yogurt, fish or meat. Separate glasses and bowls are instead used for different dishes, while serving on smaller plates or when serving to honoured guest or elders of the family. The most notable of this is the separate thals and bowls that are given to elders and honoured guests that are made of a separate metal alloy (jharke). Although it is vague on the specifics to whatjharkecan be quantified to be due to the change in the actual metallic composition ofjharkefor the past few generations and there being no one standard. Thus,jharke thals, bowls etc. can all vary in appearance from locality, era, craftsmanship, and more, however the sentiment still remains.  On akhande thal, there are separate small compartments for chutney andtarkariand other dishes.
Food is traditionally eaten with the right hand. Touching or eating food with the left hand, which is traditionally used for washing off after stool, is considered unhygienic, and taboo. The hands should be washed before eating, and the hand and mouth should be rinsed after. It is customary to wash one's lips after eating. The use of spoons, and more recently forks, is also increasing, and inquiring if one is available is acceptable. The washing of hands and mouth is not necessary, before or after, when eating with a spoon.
In Nepal, especially among the Brahmin andChhetricastes, the purity of food and drinks is taken very seriously. Contact with saliva is almost universally considered to make food impure, which is considered to bejuthoand may be seen as a sign of insult or grave ignorance. Acceptability ofjuthofood follows the traditional hierarchy of respect, where parents'juthois acceptable to children but not vice-versa and so on. People of equal standing, like friends and spouses may also sharejutho, except among highly religious (wherejuthois impure) or traditional people (wherejuthois thought to transfer diseases, or husbands may be held superior to wives). In a similar vein, food touched by pets and other animals, or where an insect drops, are discarded and the containers thoroughly washed. Some exceptions may be made for animals traditionally thought pure, such as cows.