Nestled between India, China and Tibet, Nepal is a country with a rich and diverse history of food. With its population consisting predominantly of Hindus, one would assume that Nepali cuisine has more in common with North India rather than China, but many culinary influences, especially from Tibetan cuisine, are visible in Nepali food. What’s more, with a considerable Nepali population migrating and settling in parts of India like Sikkim, North Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Nepali cuisine is considered by many as being integral to India’s culinary tapestry too.
Nepali cuisine has in fact developed over centuries thanks to the region being a part of trade routes since ancient times. Mostly dependent on the locally grown grains, legumes and dairy products, Nepali cuisine today has many gems to offer up—some that are already popular across Nepali eateries in India and the world, while others that are mostly home-cooked remaining unrecognised. So, on the one hand we have Nepali dishes like Momos, which have been embraced like no other in India as a street food. On the other hand, are dishes like Chatamari, which most Indians have never even heard of.
Think you are familiar with Nepali cuisine delights? Here is a list of 10 Nepali dishes that you may or may not have heard of, but should try at least once.
Video Credit: YouTube/Yummy Food World
Momos
These Nepali dumplings are usually made with red meat, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper in a refined flour shell that is then steamed. Vegetarian versions of Momos are also popular now, but what many don’t know is that while steamed and fried Momos might be more commercially available, Nepali Momos also come in Jhol and Kothey varieties. Jhol Momos are Momos that have been cooked in a wholesome broth, while Kothey Momos are pan-fried ones.
Wo/Bara
A delicious pancake from the Newar or Kathmandu Valley region of Nepal, Wo or Bara is made with a lentil-based batter. Made with a mix of black dal, moong dal, spices and chillies, Newari Bara is often stuffed with minced chicken or whisked eggs to make them richer. This one is a must-have during the festival of Sithi Nakha in Kathmandu.
Sel Roti
These deep-fried snacks will likely remind you of doughnuts or bagels, but Sel Roti is much more than that. Made with a rice flour batter sweetened with sugar, Sel Roti’s dough is rolled out like sausages, shaped and then deep-fried to golden perfection. A must-have during festivals like Tihar and Dasain, Sel Roti is also available as a street snack in cities like Darjeeling and Kurseong in North Bengal.
Yomari
Quite like the dish called Pitha, which is popular across Bihar, Bengal, Odisha and Assam, Yomari has a rice flour dough shell and a sweet stuffing. The stuffing is usually black in colour because it is made with black sesame seeds, jaggery and coconut. The rice dough is stuffed with this black stuffing and steamed to perfection. Yomari is a must-have dish during the Newari festival of Yomari Punhi.
Dhindho
Also known as Dhido, Dhindho is a type of porridge that is prepared by the Tamang or Moormi population of Nepal. In texture and taste, Dhindho feels like a wheat halwa and tastes savoury like a very overcooked khichdi or daliya. Made with cornmeal, buckwheat flour, millet flour and salted water, Dhindho is traditionally eaten as a part of a larger Thali with other Tamang favourite curries, buttermilk and even butter.
Gundruk
Usually served with Dhindho, Gundruk is a side dish made with fermented or pickled green vegetables. Mustard leaves, radish leaves and cauliflower leaves are pickled in clay pots for a week or more to make the Gundruk, after which the pickled vegetables are either eaten as a dry side or turned into a delicous Gundruk Ko Jhol with onions, tomatoes, soy beans and spices. The dish may be quite an acquired taste for many, but it is absolutely tasty.
Gorkhali Lamb
A slow-cooked lamb curry packed with spices, Gorkhali Lamb is a delicacy every non-vegetarian must try at least once. The lamb pieces are cooked along with potatoes, onions and spices like red chillies and peppercorns. Once cooked, the lamb pieces are removed from the curry, grilled until smokey and brushed with chilli oil to make the ultimate dish hotter and spicier still. Paired with flatbreads, this Gorkhali Lamb dish is a must-have for Nepali feasts.
Chatamari
Somewhere between a dosa and a pizza is a Nepali dish called Chatamari, which hails from the Newar region. Made with a rice flour batter, the crepes actually look more like a dosa until they are loaded with spicy toppings of onions, chillies, minced meal, coriander leaves and more. While it may look somewhat like a pizza or a stuffed dosa, what makes Chatamari a much-loved Nepali snack are the local flavours involved.
Samay Baji
This Newari favourite is more like a platter instead of a single dish and is especially served on festive occasions. The Samay refers to puffed rice and Baji refers to flattened rice, so these two are dry roasted and served along with a variety of toppings like grilled meat dishes like Mutton Taash, boiled eggs, fried potatoes, soybeans and more. It is also tradition to serve Ailaa, a locally brewed white wine with Samay Baji during festivals.
Choila
Spicy, dry and the perfect snack, Choila is a Nepali cuisine dish made with buffalo meat, duck meat or chicken meat. The meat is cut into small, bite-sized chunks, marinated and deep-fried until perfectly cooked. Then a spicy mix is stir-fried using onions and chillies, and the deep-fried meat is tossed in it. The Choila is then served with flattened or puffed rice as a much-loved evening snack.