Nepal is a paradise for all travellers in many ways. The raw beauty, diverse culture, vast topography make it a heaven for all visitors. Friendly people along with pleasant weather adds a bonus to its charm. So it’s not wrong to say that it is one of the most preferred travel destinations in South East Asia.
Kathmandu is a city of culture and heritage sites, which is also equally popular for its vast culinary delights. From high-end restaurants to great street food, Kathmandu has it all. Tasting different food is an interesting part of any travel. Through our sense of taste, we get to understand the life of local people and keep the memories alive. Therefore to ignite fond memories of a place that we have visited in the past, food plays a vital role. Here are few of the must-try culinary delights when in Nepal:
Momo- Momo tops the foodie list when you visit Nepal; possibly the favourite of all Kathmanduites. The outer covering of plain flour dough is normally stuffed with mincemeat and vegetarians also have an option of the veg version of these dumplings. Unique from the dumplings found in China and India, taste wise and shape wise, Nepali momos are unbeatable. In Kathmandu, momo can be found in every restaurant, hotel or street cart; the choice is yours. Taste and price differ from place to place, but for that unbeatable succulent taste, try local Momo.
Sekuwa- It basically means ‘Sekeko’, a Nepali word which means cooked in mild heat. Sekuwa is a chargrilled meat or chargrilled skewers of meat. There is an undying craziness for this delicacy even amongst the Nepalis itself. Many especially the foreigners find it similar to a typical BBQ and it is definitely similar, but the usage of spices make it different from the typical barbequed meat.
Rice- When you hear rice you get a picture of a normal steamed rice. But what makes the regular steamed rice special in Nepal is the way in which it is eaten. In Nepal, It is normally had along with daal or lentil soup, curry of some form (meat or vegetables) potato or tomato pickle and cooked greens but if you happen to visit a restaurant, especially Thakali restaurants the variety of accompaniments will possibly go up.
Gundruk-Gundruk is one of the favourite dishes of Nepalis and is definitely something you cannot miss while in Nepal. Gundruk is the final product after fermentation of leafy vegetables. This dried fermented greens can be prepared in various forms; mainly pickled or curry.
Samaybaji- Samaybaji is a unique food typical to Newari community. It is a combination of separately cooked delicacies assembled together and made into a platter. It can be considered a wholesome and well-balanced food as it consists of starch to protein to greens. SamayBaji set consists of puffed rice, ginger and garlic, black soybeans, fried dried fish, spinach greens, potato and bamboo shoot curry, boiled egg, black-eyed beans, choila (spiced grilled meat), spiced potato and radish or cucumber pickle.
Juju Dhau- JuJu Dhau is also known as the king of Yogurts. Typical to Bhaktapur area of the valley, this yoghurt is delicious, thick, smooth and creamy in texture. This yoghurt is typically made with buffalo milk, different from other yoghurts which are normally made out of cow’s milk.
Sel roti- Sel roti is a deep fried ring shaped sweet made of rice flour unique to Nepali culture. It is mostly prepared during Dashain, Tihar, weddings and other festivals. Some food entices the taste buds immediately while others are a matter of acquired taste. This is one such food.
Jeri Swaari- Jeri Swaari is one of the most common and favourite sweets in Nepal. Jeri similar to Indian Jelebi, are deep fried saffron yellow loops dipped in sugar syrup. This Nepali sweet is best eaten fresh and warm along with a soft, thin deep fried bread called Swaari.
Yomari- Yomari (Yah-Mari) as the name suggests Yo meaning ‘favourite’ and Mari meaning ‘sweet’. This delicious Newari cuisine is even compared with the Japanese sweet ‘Mochi’ as both the sweets are rice flour filled with a variety of fillings. Yomari most commonly comes with two types of fillings; Chaku (Molasses) filling or Khuwa (milk solids) filling.
Asaya Khadka
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