Famous Food of Nepal: A Tourist Guide to the Tradition of Nepali Cuisine

Nepal is known as the home of different cultures, landscapes, and ethnic groups. Its food is so diversely rich in its geography, cultural fusion, and local traditions. Being geographically close to India, China, and Tibet, the different regions of the country have strikingly contrasting cuisines.

Some people might not like the taste of some foods but many people visiting Nepal like the taste of different cultural foods.

Nepali cuisine tends to be simple, wholesome, and fresh mainly made of local products. In this guide, we will look at some of the most famous and traditional Nepali dishes that are just as delicious as they carry a story.

Dal Bhat

Dal Bhat is one of the famous food of Nepal and also a important staple dish. It is just boiled steamed rice (Bhat) and lentil soup (dal). It is often accompanied by vegetable curries, pickles, and sometimes meat. Dal Bhat is eaten twice in most households daily throughout the villages in Nepal.

It is nutritious since it includes a good balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. Side dishes usually served are achar (pickles), saag (spinach), and papad (crispy lentil wafers). Each region does its variations of the preparation of Dal Bhat.

This dish is available almost everywhere on hotels and restaurants in Nepal. You can try the dish while you are on the Annapurna base camp trek, Langtang Valley trek, and even Everest Base Camp Trek.

Variations of Dal Bhat

In the Terai region, Dal Bhat contains spiced lentils and fried vegetables, while in the mountainous areas, it is easy, and locally-grown vegetables are used. It often contains mild flavors and is made from locally grown vegetables.

Buff or buffalo meat is used with chicken or mutton by people who are fond of meat. In high-altitude places, people replace rice with buckwheat or barley because of the cold climate prevailing there. This makes Dal Bhat a general dish that everyone eats.

Momo

Momos (or dumplings in English) are probably one of the most famous food of Nepal that is consumed as snacks in the country. The minced meat (buff, chicken, or pork), vegetables, or other vegetable for vegans could be filled in small, nicely presented bites.

Momos are usually steamed, but fried momos are also found. The dough is rolled very thinly, and fillings add flavors of garlic, ginger, onions, and Nepali spices.

This most favourite dishes are available on the several places in Nepal. You can try them when you are going to the Golden triangle tour of Nepal.

Types of Momos

There are different varieties of momos, like Jhol Momo in which the momos are served with spicy soup-like broth, and Kothey Momo in which the momo is half-steamed and half-fried. For those who want to be richer, they can go for deep-fried momos.

The dumpling has been associated with various toppings, like tomato and sesame seed and chili-based dipping sauce. In recent times, urban areas have made newer momo variants popular- cheese momo and chocolate momo.

Thukpa

Thukpa is a noodle soup, a staple from Tibet. It warms in the cold Himalayan winters. There are mainly three components of the soup meat (usually chicken, yak, or buff), noodles, and various vegetables. It’s seasoned with garlic, ginger, and spices.

This makes the dish extremely rich-tasting. This is the perfect meal for anyone who wants to find a healthy, warm meal. This dish is available on most of the places like Pokhara and Kathmandu. Thukpa becomes must try food in Nepal when going for paragliding or any other activities in Nepal.

Variations of Thukpa

In different regions of Nepal, Thukpa is made with slight modifications. Yak meat goes in the high Himalayas. Some use chicken and buff although that is more common in the lower regions. Similarly, the noodles used vary from homemade wheat or rice noodles are used in some places. Vegetarian Thukpa too serves equally.

Sel Roti

Sel Roti is a ball-shaped, sweet rice cake prepared mainly for New Year festivities during Dashain and Tihar. The bakery products in Kathmandu do bring out Sel Roti around these times. It can be said as famous food of Nepal that is consumed in festivals like Dashain and Tihar.

Made from rice flour, it is boiled in hot water and then sun-dried. Added ingredients include raisins, nuts, sesame seeds, and sometimes using honey for a sweet coating. While on the Mardi Himal trek, this dish is consumed as breakfast in some teahouses.

Sel Roti is an exemplary Nepali sweet bread that is consumed at various festivals. This ring-shaped fried bread, prepared with rice flour and sugar, gives the bread a light sweetness to it. While it is crunchy on the outside, the inside is soft. Normally, this bread is accompanied by tea or milk as a breakfast option or as an evening snack.

Sel Roti in Nepali Festivals

Ne Sel Roti, an integral part of Nepali festivals, is prepared in large batches during the Dashain and Tihar seasons. In family homes and those of neighbors, such sweet dishes go freely from one serving dish to another. The recipe remains the same but with a little addition of cardamom or cinnamon in each home.

Gundruk

Gundruk is one of the most famous food of Nepal that is consumed in fermented format. It is a leafy green vegetable native to Nepal. The dish is prepared through mustard, radish, or cauliflower leaves fermentation, and hence results as sour and sharp.

Gundruk is often eaten as a side dish with Dal Bhat. It can be prepared like a soup. Hence, in the cold season when fresh vegetables are not readily available, gundruk is a source of vitamins and minerals.

This dish is lived by nepalis and accompany the other dishes like Dal Bhaat and Tarkari. This dish is popular on the teahouses of the Annapurna circuit trek.

Health Benefits of Gundruk

Gundruk carries probiotics since it is a fermented product. It offers good digestive support and also contains iron and Vitamin C, thereby an essential food product for many such rural Nepali societies. Gundruk mixed with other vegetables such as potatoes or soybeans will help to become a wholesome meal.

Dhido

Dhido is a traditional Nepali dish that is prepared from millet or buckwheat flour. This dish is mostly made with gundruk soup, curd, or sometimes mixed vegetable curries. Dhido has become more popular among rural people and other people who live in high altitudes.

This dish were famous food of Nepal that were consumed as a alternative of rice. Dhido is healthier as compared to rice; it contains no gluten and has greater fiber content along with other nutrients.

The dishes like dhindo and phaper becomes common in the Himalayan region trekking trails like Everest three passes trek and Everest Base Camp Trek.

Preparing Dhido

For making Dhido, water is boiled and flour is added to it gradually while continuously stirring the mixture and preventing lumps formation. It becomes thick and smooth and forms a sticky dough. It is a simple but filling food item that provides energy for a long time and hence a favorite food among laborers and farmers.

Chatamari

Often called Nepali pizza, chatamari is a traditional Newari food made from rice flour batter. Thin and crispy, this crepe-like food is usually topped with minced meat, eggs, onions, and spices. Vegetarians are usually quite fond of the dish with tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander on top.

It is very popular in cities like Kathmandu as street food. Chatamari is best consumed as a light snack or appetizer. The cheese or paneer topping has become common in most modern versions to cater to urban palates, but it will always be the most sought-after by the locals.

This is the newari dishes that can be found in any newari restaurants during Golden triangle tour of Nepal.

Yomari

Yomari is a Newari traditional sweet dish made from dough of rice flour put together with molasses and sesame seeds mixed. The above-mentioned creational different goods are formed in a fish-like shape and then placed for steaming.

Being special and held during the Yomari Punhi festival, which falls on the last day of the harvest season of rice. This food is newari dish that can be found in almost every newari restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Yomari in Newari Culture

Yomari has some cultural importance in the Newar community. During Yomari Punhi, it is used for offering to the gods as a synonym for prosperity. Nowadays, it has varied in many ways, especially with chocolate and coconut fillings.

Aloo Tama

Aloo Tama is this unique Nepali dish made of potatoes called Aloo, bamboo shoots called Tama, and black-eyed peas. It is sour and spicy in most Nepali houses. This dish also comes under famous food of Nepal.

Preparation of Aloo Tama

The sour taste comes from the bamboo shoots while potatoes and peas complement it in texture.

The bamboo shoots are, however, fermented in the Aloo Tama and provide another distinct taste to this dish. It most commonly comes along with rice but is also acceptable in the case of a soup. Aloo Tama is very nutritious with simply the right balance of carbs, proteins, and fiber.

Sukuti

Sukuti is a very famous food of Nepal consumed as a snack or side dish, particularly in rural areas. It is buffalo or mutton meat, dried by the sun and smoke. The meat has an excellent chewy texture as well as a good smoky flavor. Sukuti is flavored with chili, garlic, and cumin, which makes it very savory.

Sukuti in Nepali Cuisine

Sukuti is invariably paired with local liquors like raki or tongba (millet beer). It is either a raw form of meat or a part of any preparation, for instance, Sukuti salad, in which dried meat is mixed with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Certainly, it is a no-brainer for those who are residing in the mountains where fresh meat is not readily available.

Thakali Khana Set

The Thakali Khana Set originates from the Thakali of Mustang. It is a complete meal consisting of rice, lentils, meat (usually mutton or chicken), vegetable curries, and pickles. It is served with a balance of flavors and a variety of dishes.

Nowadays, this set meal is highly in demand in restaurants across all of Nepal and is seen both among locals and among visitors. It is also one of the famous food of Nepal.

When you are visiting the thakali settlements during Annapurna base camp trek or Mardi Himal trek, you can see or taste it in one of the teahouses.

The Secret Behind Thakali Cuisine

Spices and herbs play a very significant role in the diet of Thakalis, and in many recipes, Timur (Sichuan pepper) and jimbu, a Himalayan herb, feature. The dishes are special with their unique and aromatic taste. Thakali Khana Set is one of the best to represent the diversity in Nepali cuisine.

Laping

Laping is a spicy chilled noodle of Tibetan origin, reportedly popular in the streets of Kathmandu. Made from mung bean or potato starch, the noodles are slippery as well as chewy. The dish is mostly accompanied by a spicy sauce, made out of soy, chili, garlic, and sesame oil.

Laping as Street Delicacy

Laping has enjoyed immensely popular street food among the youth. It’s available in both red and white versions while the former is spicier. Refreshing and fiery, this dish is just apt for hot summer days.

Samay Baji

Samay Baji is a traditional Newari preparation, consisting of beaten rice chiura, boiled eggs, marinated meat, spicy potatoes, and pickles. It forms an ideal festive dish for Newari celebrations and festivals.

All the components of the Samay Baji have the significance of a particular culture or religion, hence beyond culinary ones an identity for the Newars.

Samay Baji as Cultural Offering

Samay Baji is offered to the gods and forefathers in Newari festivals. It explodes in a variety of colors flavors and textures, be it spicy pickles, crunching churros, and succulent meat interwoven in harmony.

This doesn’t remain limited to festivals alone; it is also fed on festive occasions with the family.

Tihar Sweets

Many traditional sweets are prepared during the festival of Tihar, popularly known as Deepawali. Of them, sel roti, anarsa, and lakhamari are some of the most popular Newari sweets.

All these sweets have family members and friends sharing them during the five-day-long festival. During Tihar, this dish is one of the famous food of Nepal.

Importance of Sweets in Tihar

The sweets and their offerings throughout Tihar symbolize prosperity and harmony. Those sweets carry different cultural meanings, and it is impossible to celebrate the festival without providing those to the goddess Laxmi.

Those sweets represent festive foods but also a bond among family members. These sweets are available on the streets of the thamel if you visit the Kathmandu during the Tihar.

Chhurpi

Chhurpi is a natural variety of cheese that is often manufactured in the milk of yaks or cows. The hard chhurpi is widely used as a snack in mountains, especially in Everest region, where people chew them as chewing gums. The soft chhurpi is used as a soup or curries.

Nutritional Value of Chhurpi

Chhurpi is rich in proteins and calcium, a healthy nutritious product of the hilly areas. It especially becomes highly prized for its shelf life that may last even years.

Hence, becomes a staple food item for travelers as well as for herders. In the colder regions of Nepal, cheese is often taken with butter tea or raksi. You can taste one of them while you are on the Everest Base Camp Trek at Sherpa’s tea house.

Conclusion

Nepali cuisine mirrors its geography and people Each dish is the voice of the local culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Dal Bhat and a festive Sel Roti, as well as the spicy Aloo Tama, give a much broader variety of flavors, textures, and aromas.

Other traditional foods might attract people as they not only look good but also taste good. Be it a foodie looking into trying new cuisines or a tourist enjoying Nepal, its traditional dishes are sure to leave an impression on you.