Local in Nepal – An Ode to the local Food and Drinks of Nepal

Kathmandu’s restaurants and hotels are the best places to sample authentic Nepali food. The city has a wide range of eateries and cafes, serving traditional Newari fare but also international cuisine including Indian, Chinese, continental and Italian dishes.

Local specialties include dumplings in soup (similar to Chinese dim sum) and momos or steamed dumplings filled with ground beef, chicken or vegetables. You can also try potato-based staples such as aloo tama (a spicy potato curry),  or sisu bhaat (steamed rice and lentils).

If you’re heading out of town after your trip just remember to keep an eye out for rickshaws carrying bamboo steamers filled with momos – these delicious treats are served piping hot straight from the cart!

Daal Bhaat Tarkari – Nepal’s Favorite Food.

Nepali Food The staple meal of Nepal is daal bhaat tarkari – literally lentil soup, rice and curried vegetables.Nepali dishes are often quite hearty, as they are meant to sustain people through the long, cold winters. A typical Nepali meal might consist of rice and beans, stewed vegetables, or spicy chicken curry.

No matter what else is on the menu, every Nepali meal will include daal bhaat tarkari. This dish of lentil soup, rice and curried vegetables is the staple food of Nepal and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In fact, it’s not unusual for someone to eat daal bhaat tarkari multiple times a day!

 

Local Food Of Nepal

Most Hindu Nepalis are vegetarians. Cows are sacred to Hindus and are never eaten in Nepal. Newars are great meat eaters – buff (water buffalo) is the meat of choice, but goat is also common. The food that Newars eat is divided into two main categories: tahkwa (cooked dishes) and sakho (raw dishes). Tahkwa includes dishes such as ko momo — steamed dumplings filled with minced buffalo or yak meat — ko kaupuk — steamed dumplings filled with curried vegetables or minced meat — chow mein and fried rice.

Sakho includes dishes such as thulo ta-tako — raw minced goat served on pakho (a flatbread made of black lentil flour), bhatmasi ko achar — pieces of dried buffalo gourd in a spicy sauce, and ko chana — spiced chickpeas.

It is also possible to get yak steak in some trekking lodges. Spices are heavily used by Newaris, with chilli being the dominant flavour. Newar’s dishes are usually served with chiura – dry beaten rice that looks and tastes like dry oatmeal.

Newari cuisine is something that people eat at celebrations or family events. Kathmandu has a few upmarket restaurants that offer some refined Newari food. Nepal can also be said as one of the best places to try Tibetan cuisine, but most dishes are simple variations on momos and thuk noodle stews.

Newari beer snacks such as sekuwa (spiced, barbecued meat) and masala peanuts (with chilli and spices) are legendary – definitely worth a try when you have some time to take it all in.

1. Kumaoni Gahat ki Dal – A Protein-Packed Lentil Soup

Gahat ki dal is a traditional lentil soup from the Kumaon region of Nepal. It’s made with gahat, a type of horse gram, and is usually served with rice. This hearty dish is perfect for a winter meal.

2. Rasuwaali – A Sweet and Spicy Tomato Curry

Rasuwaali is a sweet and spicy tomato curry from the Rasuwa district of Nepal. It’s made with fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, and is often served with roti or rice.

3. Aloo Tama – A Stewed Potato Dish

Aloo tama is a stewed potato dish from the Nepali foothills. It’s made with potatoes, bamboo shoots, and black-eyed peas, and is typically served with rice or roti.

4. Gundruk Ko Jhol – A Sour and Spicy Soup

Gundruk ko jhol is a sour and spicy soup from Nepal that’s traditionally made with fermented green vegetables. It can be served with rice or roti, and is often garnished with cilantro (coriander) leaves.

 

Places To Eat in Nepal

Tourist Restaurants –

If you’re looking for a place to eat that’s geared towards tourists, there are plenty of options in Nepal. Many of these restaurants are run by ex-pats who have brought their home country’s cuisine with them. You’ll find dishes from Italy, India, China, and more.

Newari Restaurants –

If you want to try the traditional food of the Newar people (the indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley), then you’ll need to visit a Newari restaurant. Newari cuisine is heavy on meat, grains, and veggies, and often includes specialties like momos (dumplings) and sel roti (fried dough).

Trekking Teahouses –

If you’re trekking in Nepal, chances are you’ll end up spending at least one night in a teahouse. These basic lodgings are usually located along the trail, and they usually have simple but hearty meals like dal bhat (rice and lentils) on the menu.

Misthan Bhandar –

Misthan Bhandar are sweet shops that sell all kinds of traditional Nepali sweets. They’re the perfect place to stop for a quick snack, and they also make great gifts to take home with you.

Bhojanalaya –

Bhojanalayas are Nepali buffet restaurants where you can get an all-you-can-eat meal for a set price. They’re usually found near tourist areas, and they offer a great way to sample a variety of different dishes.

 

Local alcoholic drinks of Nepal

Nepali beer has an excellent reputation overseas but is popular with some locals. The taste is similar to lagers found everywhere, but slightly more bitter; the standard brands are Everest, Gorkha and Lion. Imported beers like Heineken and Carlsberg are also available in upmarket bars and restaurants in Kathmandu.

Nepali beer is brewed using traditional methods and ingredients. The Nepal Hima Lal Breweries use two-row barley, which is milled and then boiled with hops. The wort is then cooled and fermented with yeast. After fermentation, the beer is bottled or kegged.

Nepal Hima Lalbreweries produces about 20 different types of beer, including the well-known Hima Gold and Hima Dark. The brewery also produces non-alcoholic beverages such as malt drinks and sodas. Locally brewed rum includes the sweet ‘Sherpa’ brand as well as ‘Khukri Rum’, named after the Khukri knife used by Nepali soldiers in World War II – it comes in various flavours including chocolate!

Nepal’s local tipple is a throat-searing spirit called raksi that’s made from fermented rice; it packs a punch with an alcohol content of more than 50% and can be mixed with apple or even Coke. Raksi tastes like vodka but has strong alcohol content. Nepalese people drink raksi as an accompaniment to food and also consume it during celebrations such as weddings or holidays (Tihar). 

Alia : Aila is made by fermented rice and is popular in Nepal. It has a high alcohol content and an unmistakable odor. Aila is clear in appearance and has a slightly sweet taste. It is usually consumed by mixing it with water.

Aila can be dangerous if consumed in large quantities, as it can lead to drunkenness and potentially harmful behavior. However, when consumed in moderation, Aila can be enjoyed as a refreshing beverage that provides a little bit of buzz.

Chhaang : Chhaang is a popular alcoholic beverage in Nepal and Tibet. It is made by fermenting new rice beer with black tea leaves. Chhaang has a milky appearance and a slightly sweet taste.

Chhaang is typically drunk during festivals and celebrations. It is also considered to be a healthy alternative to other alcoholic beverages, as it contains antioxidants and vitamins.

drinkers often compete to see who can drink the most chhaang in one sitting. This can lead to drunkenness and sometimes vomiting, so it is important to drink responsibly.

Thuba / tungba: Thuba is a type of beer that is made from wheat malt. It is a light beer that has a slightly sweet taste. Thuba is a popular choice for those who are looking for a refreshing and easy to drink beer.

Tungba is darker in color than thuba and has a more full-bodied flavor. Tungba is often consumed by those who enjoy the more robust flavors of dark beers.

 

 

Local Non Alcoholic Drinks of Nepal

This tea is served in a large brass or copper kettle called a kati . Hot water is poured into the kettle and allowed to steep for about five minutes. The tea is then poured into small bowls for drinking. The more traditional way to drink tea in Nepal is in Kathmandu, where it’s consumed mostly with milk, sugar and spices. This form of tea is sometimes called masala chiya , although it’s most frequently referred to locally as chiya. 

Nepalese Butter tea is traditionally served in a large bowl from which it is drunk. The ingredients for making Butter Tea are simple: tea leaves or brick tea, salt, yak butter or other kinds of unsalted animal fat (traditionally sheep’s or yak’s), and water boiled at high altitude. As the name suggests, it’s important to make sure that the butter is completely melted before adding in other ingredients. The melted fat dissolves into the hot water producing an emulsion called “lo-mo”. The emulsion can then be easily mixed with tea leaves and salt after one minute of heating on an open fire or over a small stove. A pinch of salt can be added at this stage to enhance the flavor and aroma of butter tea.

In Nepal, lassi is a traditional drink that you can find on the streets almost anywhere. It is made of curd (yogurt) and sugar. Always buy from a cleaner source.

Nepal has plenty of options to eat and drink . Nepalese cuisine is an amalgamation of various cuisines belonging to ethnic groups that have inhabited the country. It reflects the geographical and ethnographic diversity of Nepal.