Have you ever tried Nepali food!
Nepal offers various foods influenced by its diverse culture, geography, and traditions. Here are some popular foods you can find in Nepal.
Main Dishes
- Dal Bhat: Lentil soup (dal) paired with steamed rice (Bhat), vegetable curry, pickles, and occasionally meat, form a staple meal enjoyed daily by many Nepalese. This beloved combination has inspired the popular saying among Nepalese: "Dalbhat power, twenty-four-hour".
- Dhido: A traditional paste-like dish made from buckwheat or millet flour, it is often served with gundruk soup or meat curries. In remote villages, the locals commonly eat it twice a day.
- Gundruk: Fermented leafy greens, usually, eaten as a side dish or used to make a tangy soup.
- Thukpa: A Tibetan-inspired noodle soup with vegetables or meat, popular in the mountain regions in cold weather.
- Sel Roti(Round bread with whole in the middle): A traditional fried rice flour bread, crispy on the outside and soft inside, commonly made and enjoyed during festivals.
Snacks and Street Foods
- Momo: Momo is the most common snack and street food in Nepal. It consists of Nepalese-style dumplings filled with vegetables or meat, served steamed or fried, and accompanied by spicy achar (pickle).
- Chatamari: Often called "Nepalese pizza," it’s a rice flour crepe topped with minced meat, eggs, or vegetables. This food is more common in the Newar community.
- Sukuti: Dried and spiced meat, often enjoyed as a snack with drinks or in a salad.
- Aloo Tama: A unique curry made from potatoes (aloo) and bamboo shoots (tama), with a tangy flavour. People make soup with potatoes and bamboo shoots, served with rice and beaten rice.
- Samay Baji: A Newari dish comprising beaten rice (chiura), barbecued meat, black lentils, and various side items like boiled eggs and pickles.
Sweets and Desserts
- Yomari: A sweet dumpling made from rice flour and filled with molasses and sesame seeds, especially during the Yomari Punhi festival. Yomari Punhi festival is celebrated by the Newar community every year.
- Peda: A sweet made from khuwa (milk solids) and sugar, commonly offered during religious rituals.
- Jeri and Swari: Jeri is a deep-fried sweet soaked in sugar syrup, paired with Swari, a type of bread.
- Lassi: A yoghurt-based drink, sweet or salted, often flavoured with cardamom or fruit. We can also make flavoured with banana, mango and apple.
Beverages
- Chiya(Tea): Mashala(Spiced) milk tea, is enjoyed daily by most Nepalis in city life.
- Tongba: A traditional millet-based alcoholic drink made from pure local millet that is popular in the Himalayan region.
- Raksi: A strong homemade distilled liquor made from local beer, often served during celebrations.
- Butter Tea( Su chha) A salty tea mixed with butter, popular in mountain regions influenced by Tibetan culture. People prefer Su chha(Salt tea) in the mountain region. Salt tea can be made with salt, roasted barley flour, and yak butter all mixed well in black tea. Salt tea helps to keep warm in a cold place.
In Nepal, visitors can enjoy Nepali cuisine on the trek and tour. Nepalese cuisine reflects the harmony of simplicity, courageous flavours, and regional diversity. There are many Nepali typical restaurant, who serve athentic Nepali cuisins. Some Nepali restaurants need pre reservation for foods. Himalayan Joy Adventure treats you to a farewell dinner at the Typical Nepali Restaurant to celebrate the successful completion of your trek or tour!