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Nepali cuisine comprises a variety of cuisines based upon
ethnicity An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
, alluvial soil and climate relating to Nepal's cultural diversity and
geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, a ...
. '' Dal-bhat-tarkari'' ( ne, दाल भात तरकारी) is eaten throughout Nepal. '' Dal'' is a soup made of lentils and spices, ''bhat'' — usually rice but sometimes another grain — and a vegetable curry, ''tarkari''. Condiments are usually small amounts of spicy pickle (''achaar'', अचार) which can be fresh or fermented, mainly of dried mustard greens (called ''gundruk ko achar'') and radish (''mula ko achar'') and of which there are many varieties. Other accompaniments may be sliced lemon (''nibuwa'') or lime (''kagati'') with fresh green chilli () and a fried (thin, crisp disc-shaped food) and also Islamic food items like rice pudding, sewai, biryani etc. (ढिंडो) is a traditional food of Nepal. Momo is a Nepalese style dumpling, an adaptation of Tibetan mogmog, 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 with buffalo meat but are now commonly filled with goat or chicken, as well as vegetarian preparations.Special foods such as '' sel roti'', ''finni roti'' and ''patre'' are eaten during festivals such as '' Tihar''. Sel roti is a traditional Nepali homemade ring-shaped rice bread which is sweet to taste. Other foods have hybrid Tibetan and Indian influence. Chow mein is 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.


Types


Khas cuisine

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 ('' roti'' or '' chapati''). Maize (''makai''), buckwheat (''fapar''), barley (''jau''), or
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...
(''kodo'') become
porridge Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...
-like ( or ''ato''). ''Tarkari'' can be spinach and fresh greens (''sag''), fermented and dried greens ('' gundruk'' or ''sinki''), white radish (''mula''), potatoes (''alu''),
green bean Green beans are young, unripe fruits of various cultivars of the common bean ('' Phaseolus vulgaris''), although immature or young pods of the runner bean (''Phaseolus coccineus''), yardlong bean ( ''Vigna unguiculata'' subsp. ''sesquipedalis ...
s (''simi''), tomatoes (),
cauliflower Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species ''Brassica oleracea'' in the genus ''Brassica'', which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head is eaten – the ...
(''kauli''),
cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete ...
(''bandakopi''),
pumpkin A pumpkin is a vernacular term for mature winter squash of species and varieties in the genus ''Cucurbita'' that has culinary and cultural significance but no agreed upon botanical or scientific meaning. The term ''pumpkin'' is sometimes use ...
(''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 include mandarin orange (), kaffir lime (''kagati''), lemon (''nibuwa''),
Asian pear Fruit commonly known as the Asian pear in different parts of the world include: * ''Pyrus pyrifolia'', called Chinese pear or Nashi pear, usually round, with brown or yellow skin * ''Pyrus × bretschneideri'', called Ya pear or Chinese white pear, ...
(''nashpati''), and bayberry (''kaphal''),
mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
es (''aanp''), apples (), 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 of
Alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...
, pickles, dried fruits and
fruit juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as ...
. Dahi (yogurt) and curried meat (''masu'') or fish (''machha'') are served as side dishes when available.
Chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domestication, domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey junglefowl, grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster ...
(''kukhura'') and fish are usually acceptable to all including the Khas Brahmin ('' Bahun'') caste. Observant Hindus never eat beef (''gaiko masu''). They also eschew buffalo and
yak The domestic yak (''Bos grunniens''), also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox or hairy cattle, is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, Kachin Sta ...
meat as being too cow-like. Domestic pork (''sungurko masu'') was traditionally only eaten by aadibasi, however wild boar (''bangur ko masu'') was traditionally hunted and eaten by magars. 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


Tibetan-influenced cuisine

Himalayan cuisine is influenced culturally by Tibetan and closely related ethnic groups in the Himalaya and Trans-Himalaya. The
Himalayan region The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
is not fertile as compared to other regions. Moreover, the climate is cold throughout the year with heavy snowfalls. The food crops grown in this region are buckwheat,
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...
, naked barley, common beans, and high-altitude rice. Potatoes are 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 like
soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ing ...
, thukpa, tea and strong
alcohols In chemistry, an alcohol is a type of organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl () functional group bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term ''alcohol'' originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is ...
. Grains are made into alcoholic beverages (see below).
Butter tea Butter tea, also known as ''po cha'' (, "Tibetan tea"), ''cha süma'' (, "churned tea"), Mandarin Chinese: ''sūyóu chá'' ( 酥 油茶) or ''gur gur cha'' in the Ladakhi language, is a drink of the people in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, B ...
is made by mixing butter or ghyu (घ्यु)/
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
and salt into a strong brew of tea. 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 are
yak The domestic yak (''Bos grunniens''), also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox or hairy cattle, is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, Kachin Sta ...
, (yak and cow crossed), Himalayan goats, and sheep. People raise these animals for
meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...
,
milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulati ...
,
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
, and dahi (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 spices like salt are imported from other regions by air transport or by using animals as their means of transportation. People in this region eat (millet or barley cooked dough), potato curry, momo (dumplings), yak or goat or sheep meat, milk, thukpa, laping or strong alcohol like (millet juice) for their regular diet. This region also imports rice from other regions and consumes daal-bhat-tarkari from time to time.


Thakali cuisine

Thakali cuisine—transitional between Himalayan and lowland cuisines—is eaten by '' Thakali'' people living in ''Thak-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 in
Pokhara Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
and 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 own yaks, 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 called '' chhurpi'' is made with the buttermilk. Thakali cuisine is less vegetarian than Pahari cuisine.
Yak The domestic yak (''Bos grunniens''), also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox or hairy cattle, is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, Kachin Sta ...
and yak-cow hybrids locally known as ''Jhopa'' were consumed by the lower castes. All castes eat the meat of local sheep called ''Bheda'' and ''Chyangra'' or ''Chiru'' imported 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 into ''timur-ko-choup'' which 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. ''
Ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
'' is 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—especially daikon radish and
beetroot The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden beet ...
—dried and often prepared with mutton. Soup prepared from
spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
known as ''gyang-to'' was served with a pinch of ''timur-ko-choup''.
Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...
s were introduced following the arrival of foreign horticulturists and are now widely enjoyed.


Newars

Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
s are an
urbanized ''Urbanized'' is a documentary film directed by Gary Hustwit and released on 26 October 2011. It is considered the third of a three-part series on design known as the Design Trilogy; the first being '' Helvetica'', about the typeface, and the s ...
ethnic group originally living in the Kathmandu Valley, but now also in bazaar towns elsewhere in the world and
Middle Hills The Middle Hills are a mountain range in the Mojave Desert, within the Mojave National Preserve, in eastern San Bernardino County, southern California, United States. They are south of Interstate 40, northeast of the Marble Mountains and we ...
. 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 makes wide use of buffalo meat. 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 few ''aachar'' condiments. '' 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) and ''sanyā khunā'' (सन्या खुना jellied fish soup) are some of the popular festival foods. Dessert consists of ''dhau'' (धौ yogurt), ''sisābusā'' (सिसाबुसा fruits) and ''mari'' (मरि sweets). There are ''achaars'' made with ''aamli'' fruit. '' Thwon'' (थ्वँ rice beer) and ''aylā'' (अयला local alcohol) are the common alcoholic liquors that Newars make at home. There is great importance of food in Newari culture. Newari cuisine is one of the most delicious food with intense flavorings. There are dishes for every edible part of
buffalo meat Buffalo meat is the meat of the water buffalo, a large bovid, raised for its milk and meat in many countries including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Bulgaria, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Australia and Egypt. Buff ...
(cooked and uncooked) that includes
intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans ...
, stomach and
brain The brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head ( cephalization), usually near organs for special ...
. That's another reason why they are famous.


Lohorung cuisine

Lohorung Lohorung may be: *Lohorung people *Lohorung language Lohorung, also spelled Lorung, Lohrung or Loharung, is a Kirati language of eastern Nepal. It has been described by George van Driem. Southern Lorung is also considered to be Southern Yamphu l ...
are indigenous to eastern Nepal. They have a variety of food in their cuisine made from local ingredients. Some of them are ''Wachipa'', ''Wamik'', ''Masikdaam'', ''Sibring'', '' Sel roti'', ''Bawari'', ''Dhule Achar'', ''Saruwa'', ''Chamre'', ''Dibu'', and so on.


Limbu cuisine

Limbu Limbu may refer to: * Limbu people, an indigenous tribe living in Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan ** Rambahadur Limbu (born 1939), Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross * Limbu language * Limbu script ** Limbu (Unicode block) Limbu is a Unicod ...
have unique ethnic foods including kinema (fermented soybeans), ''yangben'' ( Reindeer Moss), preparations of bamboo shoots, bread made from millet or buckwheat, and traditional Limbu drink Tongba (millet beer). Pork, Beef is eaten in some Eastern regions like Dharan.


''Terai'' cuisine

Food in the Terai south of Sivalik Hills refers to mirror cuisines such as Maithili cuisine in the east, Tharu cuisine in the west, and Bhojpuri cuisine in the center and near west of Madhesh region of Nepal. Further west, there is Mughlai-influenced
Awadhi cuisine Awadhi cuisine ( hi, अवधी पाक-शैली, ur, ) is a cuisine native to the Awadh region in Northern India. The cooking patterns of Lucknow are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India with the cuisi ...
—particularly eaten by the substantial Muslim population around Nepalganj. Terai 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 of Greater Nepal. Fruit commonly grown in the Terai include
mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
(''aap''), litchi,
papaya The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and ...
(''armewa/mewa''),
banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
(''kera/kela/kola'') and jackfruit (''katahar/katahal''). A typical terai set includes basmati rice with ghee, 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. Nepal has seven low elevation Inner Terai valleys enclosed by the
Sivalik The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...
and Mahabharat ranges. Historically these valleys were extremely malarial and populated mainly by the Tharu and
Maithil people Maithils (Tirhuta: মৈথিল, Devanagari: मैथिल), also known as Maithili people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group from the Indian subcontinent, who speak the Maithili language as their native language. They inhabit the M ...
s who 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 of religious 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 and Maithil faced an influx of people fleeing land and food deficits in the hills. Conversion of forest and grassland to cropland and prohibitions on hunting shifted the Tharu and Maithil in the east and west away from land-based hunting and gathering, toward greater use of fish,
freshwater crab Around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs are distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine crabs, which relea ...
,
prawns Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten. The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature ...
and snails from 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 from nomadic hill people such as Kham Magar who 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 and Maithil people away from shifting cultivation toward sedentary agriculture, so the national custom of eating rice with lentils gains headway. The Tharu or Maithil have unique ways of preparing these staples, such as rice and lentil dumplings called or and immature rice is used to make a kind of gruel, ''maar''. Taro root is an important crop in the region. The leaves and roots are eaten. ''Sidhara'' is a mixture of taro root, dried fish and turmeric that 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 make ''ghonghi''. Another short compendium of Tharu and Maithil recipes includes roasted crab, wheat flatbread fried in mustard oil, and fried taro leaf cakes.


Sweets

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 puffed lotus seeds. '' Barfi'' is made with some combination of lentils, fruits, flour and thickened milk. ''Halwa'' is a sweetened semolina pudding with green cardamom, cashews, raisins and shredded
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
. Like other Nepalese sweets, Nepalese puddings are prepared using
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
. Dumplings called ''lal mohan'' are deep fried like
fritter A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been Batter (cooking), battered or breading, breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-frying, deep-fried. Fritters ar ...
s and soaked in cardamom-flavored sweet syrup. At the festival of ''Yomari Purnima'' celebrated in December, to thank the goddess of grains Annapurna after the harvest, the
Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
make sweet dumplings (''yomari'') with rice flour filled with sesame seeds, and brown sugar or molasses. In the predominately
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
country, sweet ''peda'' made with thickened milk () are offered to the Hindu gods.


Snacks

Snacks include maize popped or parched called ''khaja'' (literally "eat and run");
beaten rice Flattened rice is a type of rice dish made from raw, toasted, or parboiled rice grains pounded into flat flakes. They are eaten as is, toasted, fried, or used as ingredients or toppings for other dishes. Depending on their use, they can be crispy, ...
(''baji'' or ''chiura''), dry-roasted soybeans (, Nepali: भटमास), dried fruit candy (''lapsi''), and South Asian foods like the '' samosa'' and South Asian sweets. International snacks like
biscuit A biscuit is a flour-based baked and shaped food product. In most countries biscuits are typically hard, flat, and unleavened. They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar, chocolate, icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. They can also be ...
s (packaged cookies), potato chips and ''wai wai'' (Nepali: वाइ वाइ,
instant noodle Instant noodles, or instant ramen, is a type of food consisting of noodles sold in a precooked and dried block with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil. The dried noodle block was originally created by flash frying cooked noodles, and this is ...
s) are all coming into widespread use. Whereas, some youths in Nepal prefer western snacks as they are easy to get and less time-consuming.


Drinks

Tea (''chiya'') usually taken with milk and sugar, juice of
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
(''sarbat''), and buttermilk (''mahi'') are common non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks include '' raksi'', spirits made in rustic distilleries, and jaand/''jard'', homemade beer made from rice. At higher elevations there is millet beer '' Tongba, nigaar'' and '' chhyaang''.


Western influence

Western culture has influence in Nepali/Nepalese cuisine. Western food like
bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
,
cereal A cereal is any Poaceae, grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, Cereal germ, germ, and bran. Cereal Grain, grain crops are grown in greater quantit ...
s, bagels,
pizza Pizza (, ) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, onions ...
s, sandwiches, burgers, and pasta and drinks like Coke, Fanta, and Sprite are 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.American Restaurants in Kathmandu
/ref>


Etiquette

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 of ''bhat'', ''dhindo'' or a pile of '' rotis'' is served on a (a large brass plate) or a ''khande thal'' (a compartment plate). On the , 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 (). Although it is vague on the specifics to what can be quantified to be due to the change in the actual metallic composition of for the past few generations and there being no one standard. Thus, , bowls etc. can all vary in appearance from locality, era, craftsmanship, and more, however the sentiment still remains. On a ''khande thal'', there are separate small compartments for chutney and ''tarkari'' and 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 and chetry castes, 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 be ''jutho'' and may be seen as a sign of insult or grave ignorance. Acceptability of ''jutho'' food follows the traditional hierarchy of respect, where parents' ''jutho'' is acceptable to children but not vice-versa and so on. People of equal standing, like friends and spouses may also share ''jutho'', except among highly religious (where ''jutho'' is impure) or traditional people (where ''jutho'' is 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.


Gallery

File:Tharu Cuisine.jpg, Dried fish dish; Tharu cuisine File:Tharu Beverage.jpg, Rice wine; Tharu cuisine File:Dhikri.jpg, Dhikari; Tharu cuisine File:Chhwela.jpg, Chhwela; Newa cuisine File:Garcha.jpg, Gwarcha; Newa cuisine File:Lapte Bhoye.jpg, Lapte bhoye; Newa cuisine File:Boiled Corn.jpg, Boiled corn with chilli pickle File:Plateful of Momo in Nepal.jpg, Plateful of momo in Nepal


See also

* Culture of Nepal * Newari cuisine * Chaat * Sel roti * Dal bhat * List of Nepalese dishes * Momo (dumpling) * South Asian cuisine *
Jimbu Jimbu is a herb belonging to the onion family, used extensively in some regions of Nepal and in some central Himalayan states of India, like Uttarakhand, where it is called Jamboo / Faran . It is composed of two species of ''Allium'', ''Allium hyps ...


References


Further reading

*


External links


Nepalese Food

Guide to Nepali food
{{Authority control South Asian cuisine