Mutton Curry to Sel Roti, Off-Beat Dishes Significant To Dashain

Festive season is around the corner and we can’t be more excited. One of the widely celebrated festivals is Dashain celebrated by the people belonging to the Nepali community. Also known as Dusshera, it is one of the most auspicious festivals celebrated by Nepali Hindus. During this long festival, people get together with their families no matter where they are and enjoy delicious food varieties with no work and no obligations to work for at least a week. 

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For those who don’t know, Dashain is a long festival that signifies the victory of good over evil. This festival is mainly celebrated to strengthen familial bonds and eat delicious food together with their families. My best friend is a Gorkhali and it is a ritual every year to celebrate this festival with her family. The elders put rice and jamara on younger family members and relatives. Those tikas symbolize blessings passed from one generation to another. And when we talk of this festival, it is impossible to not mention about food. Let us have a look at some dishes that are a must in the Dashain feast. These dishes bring us a great taste of Nepal and we cannot deny this. Let us have a look:  

Mutton Curry 

Dashain is incomplete without mutton curry. I always get to eat the tastiest mutton curry that is made at my friend’s house. This mutton curry is hands down, the most delicious and I don’t know why. Traditionally, people buy a goat and keep it in the house for a few days. On the eighth day, the goat is sacrificed. Though this tradition may not be followed much now, the mutton ritual remains the same. 

Mutton Sekuwa 

Since mutton holds great significance in this festival, another Dashain special dish is mutton sekuwa. These are marinated and grilled soft meat pieces separated from the meat of a whole goat. Mutton sekuwa is utterly delicious and is the best companion of drinks.  

                                                  Image credits: Muncha.com

Dal Bhat Masu 

Dal Bhat Masu isn’t just a Dashain special but is cooked the whole year. This is not a dish but rather a complete meal cooked at the time of this festival. Dal is a lentil mixture while bhat is rice. It is normally cooked together in a pressure cooker while masu is meat cooked and turned into gravy. This is totally soul food, believe me! 

Mewa Ka Aachar 

Mewa is not any new ingredient but our own beloved papaya. The papaya which is not ripe yet is plucked and cut into pieces. It is then marinated with lemon juice and other spices and then turned into a pickle. A Dashain special traditional condiment, this goes well with sel roti and rice.  

Sel Roti 

One of the most famous and well-loved food among Nepalis and Gorkhalis is sel roti. It is a deep-fried sweet dish made with soaked rice which is ground into a thick paste. Thereafter, the mixture is turned into a paste with unsalted butter and sugar. This dish is made in all houses during Dashain or any other festivals. 

Happy Dashain 2022!