Brief Introduction
The food of Nepal is as diverse as the country itself. The Nepalese
recipes are quick to cook and good to eat. Nepalese food is famous for its
nutrition level and tempting taste. Whilst Nepalese cuisine is somewhat basic,
it certainly does not lack in flavor, making extensive use of spices and
flavorings such as ginger, garlic, coriander, pepper, cumin, chilies, cilantro,
mustard oil, ghee and occasionally yak butter. Come let us savour some of the
famous dishes of Nepal. Nepalese cuisine refers to the cuisines of Nepal. The cultural and geographic diversity of Nepal provide ample
space for a variety of cuisines based on ethnicity,
soil and climate.
Eating Habits
Main Meal
In most part of country, especially rice-growing areas, Dal Bhat (pulses and rice)
is the staple food of Nepalese, that is eaten twice a day.
Snacking
Snacks such as bread, chura (beaten rice), roti (flat bread), curried
vegetables, milked tea and other snacks are also generally eaten in between the
two big meals.
Nepalese cuisine: dal, vat and tarkari
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Dal-bhat-tarkari (Nepali: दाल भात तरकारी
) is eaten throughout the country. Dal
is a soup made of lentils and spices. It is served over boiled grain, bhat
-- usually rice but
sometimes another grain -- with vegetable curry, tarkari. Typical
condiments are a small amount of extremely spicy chutney
(चटनी) or achaar
(अचार). These can be
made from fresh ingredients, or may be a kind of fermented pickle.
The variety of these preparations is staggering, said to number in the
thousands.[1] Other accompaniments may be sliced lemon (kagati) or lime (nibua)
and fresh chili peppers, khursani.
Nepalese food is very healthy. For people travelling to Nepal on
vacation, back-packing or trekking it is good to know what food is eaten in
Nepal in order to prepare for the trip.
Nepalese food is heavily influenced by Indian and Tibetan cuisine and
consequently you should come across a wide variety of food during your stay.
International foods from across the globe are particularly represented in
restaurants in Kathmandu.
Although traditional Nepalese food is often described as ‘bland’,
Nepalese cuisine is certainly healthy and extremely nourishing.
The most popular Nepalese food includes a dish called ‘dhal bhat
tarkari’. Dal Bhat
tarkari consists of rice (bhat), curried vegetables (tarkari) and a type of
lentil soup know as dhal. Bhat is certainly a staple Nepalese food.
However in areas where rice is scare (primarily in poor and high-altitude
areas) the staple food is usually dhiro, a thick mush which is produced from
corn or millet.
Other popular foods in Nepal include:
Curd – A type of yoghurt Gundruk – A sun-dried leafy green
vegetable which is cooked in different ways (particularly in soup)
Thupka – A traditional chicken soup
Masu – Meat with a type of spicy gravy and rice
Alu Tama – Potato made with bamboo shoots
Sweet Nepalese foods include:
Skiarni – A spiced sweet pistachio desert
Juju Dhau – A rich creamy curd
Popular Nepalese drinks include locally produced beer and ‘lassi’ which
is refreshing drink made from yoghurt and water.
There are customs relating to food and drink in Nepal which you should
adhere to. The key things to be aware of are that non-hindus are not welcome in
the Nepalese kitchen under any circumstances. You should also be careful not to
touch anybody else’s food whilst in Nepal as this is considered the height of
bad manners. When eating your food, you should be careful to ensure that
you use your right hand at all times as the left hand in Nepal is primarily
used for cleaning oneself after using the toilet. Equally you should
never pass food to anyone with your left hand whilst in Nepal. Cows are
considered holy in Nepal and therefore any food containing beefs is strictly
prohibited.
You may also notice that there are caste etiquettes relating to the
eating of food whilst you are in Nepal. A high-caste Brahman can not eat
food which has been prepared by somebody from a lower caste. In effect, this
means that a high-caste Brahman is unable to eat his / her food in a restaurant
as they cannot be sure who is doing the cooking in the kitchen.
Some of such vegetarian preparations are: Baji (a
preparation from flattened rice), Wauncha Tukan (green mustard
vegetable), Bhuti (a preparation of white beans), Pharsi (pumpkin
curry), Lainsoo (dried radish curry), Simpu (bran curry), Pahmaya
(curry of green pulsespulse), Hamoh Kwa (sesame seed curry), Chhou
Kwa (bamboo shoot soup), Dhau (yogurt), Sakhah (brown sugar
to accompany dhau), and Sisabusa (raw radish, raw peas, and fresh
fruit pieces). Meat preparations may include Della (meat placed atop baji), Tahkugu
Pukala (big slice of fried meat), Cheekugu Pukala (small pieces of
fried meant), Tahkha (jelly meat), Chhakoola (meat pieces in
curry), Dayekala (meat curry), Hayenla (meat curry with ginger), Gorma
(white jellied meat),
Rakshi is one of the traditionally distilled alcoholic drink of Nepal. It
is made from millet, and is currently in the process of being banned by many
mothers' unions in Nepal.
Types
- Newars
are an ethnic group originally living in the Kathmandu Valley, now also in
bazaar towns elsewhere in the Middle Hills (Himalayan
foothills, up to about 6,500'/2,000m). Newari cuisine has many fermented
preparations. In the fertile Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys where cheap
rice can be trucked in and local market farmers find produce more
profitable than grain, the cuisine is much more varied than in more
isolated parts of the Hills where maximizing grain production is still a
matter of survival. The main dishes of Newars are Beaten rice, Bara ( mung
beans pancake), and obviously Momo, which is one of the most popular dish of Nepal.
- Khas
or Pahari cuisine conforms to dietary
restrictions of Hindus in the Middle Hills. Dal-bhat-tarkari is the
standard meal eaten twice daily.Hill Bahun (Brahmins),Chhetris Have
traditionally eaten Goat meat(Khasi)and fish. However with land suitable
for irrigated rice paddies in short supply, other grains supplement or
even dominate. Wheat becomes unleavened flat wheat bread (roti
or chapati).
Maize
(makai), buckwheat
(fapar), barley
(jau) or millet
(kodo) become porridge-like (dhiro or ato). Tarkari
can be spinach or greens (sag), fermented and dried greens (gundruk),
daikon
radish (mula), potatoes
(alu), green beans
(simi), tomatoes
(golbeda), cauliflower(kauli), cabbage
(bandakopi)), pumpkin (pharsi), etc. Fruit traditionally grown in the
hills include mandarin orange (suntala), kaffir lime
(kaguti), lemon
(nibuwa), asian pear (nashpati), and bayberry
(kaphal). Yogurt
(dahi) and curried
meat (masu) or fish (machha) are served as side dishes
when available. Chicken (Kukhura), and fish are usually
acceptable to all but the highest Brahmin
(Bahun)
caste, who limit meat to Goat (Khasi). Observant Hindus never eat beef
(gaiko masu), except untouchables (dalit) possibly eating animals that
have died of natural causes. In Pahari communities, domestic pork
(sungurko masu) was traditionally only eaten by Magars, Kirats and Dalits,
However bangur ko masu wild boar
was traditionally hunted and eaten by Chhetris.
A strain derived from wild boar is now raised in captivity and used for
meat that is increasingly popular with Pahari ethnicities and castes that
did not traditionally eat pork.
- Ethnic
variations in the Middle Hills - buffalo
meat and/or pork
are eaten by many janajati --
indigenous nationalities with customs departing from Hindu norms to
varying degrees. In the course of the Nepalese Civil War, Magars
(and perhaps other ethnicities in areas under rebel control) began eating
beef to flaunt longstanding Hindu domination. More traditionally, Magars
ate pork but not water buffalo while the superficially similar Gurung
did the opposite. Further east, Tamang,
Rai
and Limbu have unique ethnic foods
including fermented soybeans, yangben -- a particular type of moss,
preparations of bamboo shoots, bread made from millet or buckwheat, and
traditional Limbu drink tongba (millet beer).[2][3]
- Terai cuisine - Food in Outer Terai south of Sivalik Hills
grades into cuisines of adjacent parts of India such as Maithili[4]
cuisine in the east, Bihari and Bhojpuri cuisine in the center and
near west. Further west there is Uttar Pradeshi and even Mughlai-influenced
Awadhi cuisine -- particularly eaten
by the substantial Muslim population around Nepalganj
and beyond. Terai diets can be more varied than in the Middle Hills
because of greater variety of crops grown locally plus cash crops imported
from cooler microclimates in nearby hill regions as well as from different
parts of India. Fruit commonly grown in the Terai include mango
(aam), litchi,
papaya
(armewa/papeeta), banana (kera/kela) and jackfruit
(katahar/katahal).
- Inner Terai
valleys between the Sivaliks and Mahabharat Range were originally severely malarial
and mainly populated by genetically-resistant Tharu
who have a distinctive (but not well documented) cuisine. Tharu certainly
consume large amounts of fish from local rivers and are even said to eat
rats & snails, which is eaten by few other castes in terai as well.
Control of malaria starting in the late 1950s enabled immigration by
land-hungry settlers from the hills and by Indian merchant families into
towns, bringing their respective native cuisines with them.
- Himalayan
cuisine - Eaten by culturally Tibetan
and closely related ethnic groups in the Himalaya and Trans-himalaya. Buckwheat),
barley
and millet
are important cold-tolerant grains often processed into noodles
or tsampa
(toasted flour), or made into alcoholic beverages (see below). Potatoes
are another important staple crop and food. Subtantial amounts of rice
are imported from the lowlands. The meat of yak and possibly yak-cow
hybrids may be used, as well as their milk. Meat is often
prepared as momo (potstickers).
- Thakali
cuisine - transitional between Himalayan and lowland cuisines, eaten by Thakali
people of Tibetan affinity who settled in Thak-Khola Valley, an ancient and
relatively easy trade route through the high Himalaya.
Yak and Yak-cow hybrids locally known as Jhopa were consumed by the lower
castes. Two types of sheep known as Bheda and Chyangra or Chiru were
imported from Tibet proper. Thakali cuisine also uses locally-grown buckwheat,
barley,
millet
and dal
as well as rice
and dal imported from lower regions to the south. Since most Thakali
people were engaged in trade, they could import vegetables and fruits etc.
from lower regions. A large variety of vegetables were consumed daily,
some -- especially radish and beetroot -- dried and often prepared with mutton. Soup
prepared from spinach known as 'gyang-to' was served with a pinch of
timur-ko-choup a condiment prepared from red chili powder, black pepper,
salt and local herbs. Thakali cuisine is popular in the cities of Nepal
with a number of eateries in Kathmandu
and Pokhara.
- Beverages
- tea (chiya) usually taken with milk and
sugar, juice of sugarcane (sarbat) and buttermilk
(mahi). Alcoholic beverages include raksi,
spirits made in rustic distilleries, and jand, homemade beer made
from rice. At higher elevation there is millet beer (tongba
or chyang).
Etiquette
Meals are traditionally eaten seated or squatting, although urban
restaurants have tables and chairs. A large mound of bhat (boiled rice
or other grain such as cornmeal or barley) or a pile of roti (rounds of
thin unleavened bread) is served on a thali
-- a rimmed brass or stainless steel plate about 12"/30cm. diameter. The
rice is surrounded by smaller mounds of prepared vegetables, fresh chutney or
preserved pickles, and sometimes curd / yogurt, fish or meat. Soup-like dal and
vegetables cooked in sauce may be served in separate small bowls, to be poured
over the rice. Food is brought to the mouth with the fingers of the right hand.
The left hand -- traditionally used for certain toilet purposes -- should never
touch food but may hold cups and glasses. The right hand should be rinsed
before and after eating.
Traditional Hindu food etiquette is deeply concerned with caste and ritual pollution. Water and foods
cooked in water -- especially grains, dal and vegetables -- are polluted by the
touch of a person of lower caste than the person who consumes them, or of
anyone who has become unclean by not bathing and putting on clean clothes after
polluting events such as defecation or menstruation. The cook should otherwise be a
housewife (who is not lower caste than her husband) or a tagadhari --
high caste male wearing a sacred thread (janai).
Once someone has started eating cooked food, it becomes polluted (jutho)
to others, except a wife may eat leftovers from her husband's plate and
children may eat both parents' leftovers.
Water itself is highly subject to ritual pollution, rendering containers
as well as water polluting. Clay or wooden containers must then be discarded
while metal containers require ritual scouring. You will often find people
drinking water by pouring it into their mouths rather than touching their lips
to the container. This avoids polluting the container and any water remaining
inside.
Dry-cooked grains -- including beaten rice and roasted soybeans or corn
-- also rice pudding cooked in milk rather than water (khir) and raw
fruit are less subject to ritual pollution. These foods can be accepted from
any clean caste but not from untouchables.
Foreigners and members of many janajati -- indigenous ethnic
groups that not formally absorbed into the orthodox caste system -- occupy an
ambiguous space. They are neither fully untouchable nor fully
"clean". They may not be welcome inside upper-caste homes and should
not presume to enter without being invited (and not just invited to sit outside
on the porch). Upper-caste Hindus may decline to eat with them at all, or may
avoid eating foods that are most subject to pollution.
Breaches of dietary etiquette were made criminal offenses in Muluki Ain
-- the main corpus of civil law -- in 1854 and not decriminalized until 1962.
Since 1962 discriminatory customs have been falling into disuse among educated
and urban Nepalis, yet they often prevail in the countryside, especially among
older Brahmins
and Thakuris.
Guests and visitors should try to conform to traditional dietary customs until
clearly instructed otherwise by their hosts.
Although clothe changing and touching or cooking food by another cast is
not practiced by many people anymore, due to restaurant, roadside snack
sellers, highway restaurants called hotels, non availability of Brahmin
servants, but people still practice the left hand and jutho while eating and
Foreigners and members of many janajati may still be forbidden to touch pooja
utensils or clean them.
A. Cereal based traditional Food of Nepal
Jandh
It is the traditional alcoholic beverage of Nepal. Jandh is a fermentation
product of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) locally known as Kodo or Marua.
The finger millet seeds are sometimes mixed with a small amount of wheat or
corn grains.
Kinema
Kinema is a nonsalted and solid-state fermented soybean food of the eastern
hills of Nepal. It is consumed in Darjeeling and Sikkim of India and in some
parts of Bhutan. It has a pungent smell of ammonia, slimy texture, and short
shelf-life.
Chiura
A popular traditional food of Nepal made from paddy. It's made by soaking,
draining, roasting, flaking the paddy followed by removing of the husk. It is
one of the item mainly consume in special occasion typically in ASAR-15 with
Dahi (fermented milk product).
Syabaji
Syabaji is also the traditional products made from paddy in Nepal. The word
syabaji is come from newari( a ethenic group of Nepal) word shiyagu( roasted).
It is made by roasting the Chiura in sand and is lighter than chiura.
Golfuki,
Is the food products maily consumed as breakfast in terai community in Nepal.
Golfuki preparation includes soaking of paddy (2-3 days), draining the
water,and lightly roasting in Handi . its also famous as other name
""muri"" or ""bhuja"'.
Lawa
It is the direct roasted product of paddy.
Khatte
It is the popular break fast in hilly areas of Nepal, It is made from rice
mainly from brown rice obtained from dhiki ( a special Nepalese manual flaking
instrument) but white or polished rice can also be used.it is prepared from
rice by soaking over night, draining and roasting.
Poko
It is rice based solid fermented food product characterized by creamy color,
soft, and juicy sweet and sour taste with slightly alcoholic and aromatic
flavor. Consumption of these products is deeply rooted in the culture and has
several symbolic significance. During the preparation of Jandh and Raksi, this is
base product. There is traditional belief that Poko promotes good health, nourishes the body giving good vigor and
stamina (Gajurel and Baidya 1979, c). Their production is confined to home
scale only.
Satoo
Satoo is a traditional food product made from maize, soybean and sometime added
gram. It is nutritionally considered as balanced food. Roasted maize (Makai)
and soybean (Bhatmas) were mixed and powdered is called Satoo, which is
generally consumed with Mahi and salt.
Khir and Dhakane( milk pudding)
Khir (milk pudding) and Dhakane are the sweet breakfast and snack items
prepared from rice and milk. Shrawan 15 (August 1) is a culturally special
occasion for Consuming Khir. Khir preparation involves boiling the milk with a
small amount of Rice for about 1 hr.
Kasar
Kasar is a special traditional sweet of Nepal made from rice flour and chaku
(concentration form of sugarcane juice) with ball shape of radius 4-6
cm.Basically it is served in wedding ceremony, Bratabandha and other cultural
and activities.
Puwa
Puwa is the traditional sweet in slightly big granular shape made from Rice
(khatte) .Puwa preparation involves the roasting of rice flour in Ghiu( ghee)
until it becomes brown red. A little water is added, and it is boiled until
cooked. A small amount of sugar and spices are added.it has also same
importance as kasar.
Gundrook- Dheedo
Equally popular among Nepali people and foreign tourists, Gundrook-Dheedo is a
sugar-free dish made of wheat, maize and dried green vegetable. The food is
high on nutrition level and satisfies the taste buds as well.
Raksi
Raksi is major traditional alcoholic beverage of Nepalese community. Raksi is
an unaged co generic spirit obtained by pot distillation of the slurry of Jand.
The product resembles with whiskey has highly varying alcohol contents. Rakshi
is a millet-based distilled alcoholic drink It is traditionally an important
requirement at a lot of religious rituals and social events, perhaps because it
is not only an alcoholic drink but also because of its antiseptic qualities. It
is a strong drink, and is often brewed at home.
Tongba
A special Limbu culture drink, Tongba is homemade wine. Fermented millet seeds
are put in a wooden or plastic mug which is filled with hot water. One sips
through a bamboo straw as more hot water is added which makes Tongba go down
easily with greater impact and taste. Many consume this drink during winter
season, and is also a favorite drink among the
Chiuri-Ghiu
Chiuri-Ghiu is a kind of vegetable ghee traditionally obtained from the fruit
kernel of the Chiuri plant (botanical name Bassia butyracea) available in the
mid hilly region of the kingdom and also known as butter-tree. The plant is
generally available in the mountain region of the country at 1000 to 5000 ft
altitude.
Yomari
Yomari is prepared by kneading rice flour using hot water, make fig shaped,
make hole and put solidified Chaku mixed with powder of fried black sesame,
close the hole making flower like shape and steamed until cooked. It should
serve while hot. Beside Chaku, people use meat keema, black gram paste or Khoa.
This is unique bread prepared by Newari people only, on Yomari punhi, day
Chatamari
This is a rice flour pancake very much raised by Newars. Once in a year, in the
month of April/ May, Dewali or Degudeopuja is celebrated. They prepare thin but
round pancake of rice flour, Chatamari as they are called offered to the Devta
named Degudeo or Kuldevta (fitular god) and distributed as Prasad (offering).
During guthi (Religious trusties) feasts also chatamari are prepared as
important item for ritualistic worshipping (Majpuria). Regarded as Newari pizza, Chatamari is a flat
bread made from rice flour with or without toppings (meat, vegetables, eggs,
sugar). It is highly savoured by the tourists who consider it as a good and
healthy substitute to pizza.
B. Fruit and Vegetable based Traditional Products of Nepal
Gundruk:
Gundruk is the lactic acid fermented product of green Leafy vegetables. The
vegetable Leaf generally used includes rayo(Brassica
compestris L var. cumifolia Roxb), Mustard leaf( Brassica nigra), Radish leaf(Raphanus
sativusL) and cauliflower leaf(Brassica
oleracea L var. botrytis). The predominated lactic acid bacteria that are
important to acid development and contribution of flavour were suggested as Pediococus pentsaceous, Lactobacillus cellulobiose and L. plantarum. The acid content in the
final product was generally ranges from 0.8% to 1% depending upon raw material
used. It can be preserved for long time after sun drying and simple packaging
under polyethylene bag or pouchs.it is popular among all the ethnic group of
Nepal. it is also popular in some part of India ( Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland)
having high dense Nepalese community.
Sinki
Sinki is also the lactic acid fermented products of root parts of carrot. It
has also sour test and can be preserved by sun drying and simple packaging like
gundruk for long time.
TAMA ( MESU):
Tama (Mesu) is the salted lactic acid fermented bamboo shoot product consumed
in bamboo growing region of Nepal. It is also consumed in the Nepalese
originated people of Darjeeling and Sikkim part of India. The young shoot of
bamboo is used in the preparation of Mesu. The commonly used bamboo are CHOYA
BANS(Dendroclamus hamiltonii),KARATI
BANS(Bambus tulda Roxb),BHALU BANS(Dendrucalamus Sikkimenens),DHUNGRE BANS(Dendroclamus Gigantea)and MAL BANS(Bambusa nutans)It is coomonly consumed as
a Curry or making pickes (ACHAR).Th microflora found in the TAMa are Pediococus pentaceus( initiation) and
dominated by , lactobacillus brevis
and Lactobacillus plantarum. The
curry Called AALU-TAMA-BODI( made by potato, MESU and white beans) is one of the
popular item in NEWARI communityof Nepal.The final acidity in TAMA ranges from
0.o4 to 0.95% as lactic acid.
Alu Tama
Aloo Tama (Alu Tama) simply means 'Potato Bamboo Shoots'. It is a unique and classic
Nepali curry flavor dish. It is unique in the sense that it is unlike any other
Indian or South Asian curry since they rarely use bamboo shoots. Similarly,
unlike other East Asian cuisine such as Chinese that uses Bamboo shoots but
does not use curry spices.
Vegetable Pulao
(Fried Nepali Rice)
Vegetable Pulao is one of the popular ways rice is served during the parties
and events in the Nepalese household. It has flavor of turmeric and cumin to
it. The rice is particularly famous among tourists who prefer eating it with
curd and Manchurian.
Masu
Masu is spiced or curried meat (usually chicken, mutton, buffalo or pork) with
gravy. Served with rice, it is a main course dish, very popular in Nepal.
Khalpi
Khalpi is one of the famous traditional fermented pickle of Nepal made from
KAKRO( Cucumber).The mature KAKRO is washed , cutting into strips 2-3 inch
length, sun drying, mixing with salt and spices and methi( fenugreek) fried
oil, packed tightly into glass container , lidding and fermented naturally for
4-5 days. Some diiference in preparation is commonly found depending on region.
It is also consumed as ACHAR.
Masyoura
MASYOURA is a typical Nepalese food made from the Black lentil and Small shreds
of different vegetables. It is believed that Masyoura contains good combination
of the carbohydrate and protein. The masyoura preparation includes cleaning of
lentils and soaking to remove the husk, grinding to powder , addition of other
vegetables shreds and pidalus( neglected tuber vegetable of Araceae family commonly found in
Nepalese forest)., shaping into ball and dried on the sunlight to reduce
moisture content and improve the shelf life.
Chook-Amilo
Chook-Amilo is the concentrated form of sour citrus juice. It is generally
prepared in hilly regions due to the availability of citrus fruits known as
Jyamir, Kagati, or Nibuwa (lemon and lime varieties). Ripe sour citrus fruits
are collected and juice is extracted with the help of a Kol, ( a pressing
device traditionally used in rural areas to extract fruit juice, sugarcane
juice, mustard oil, and Chiuri-Ghiu), boiled with occasional stirring until the
color of the juice changes from white to grey and then black. The concentrated
juice is stored in a mud container with tight lid. The Chook-Amilo can be
stored and used for 1 to 2 years.
Mahuwa Raksi:
It is the distilled alcoholic fermented liquor of juice from a flower called Mahuwa
( maduca indica).The alcohol production is carried out by adding Khameer
(yeast)or by means of natural yeast presence in the flower and distillation is
carried out by traditional pot to concentrate the alcohol volume.
Toddy:
Toddy (Taddy) is the naturally fermented alcoholic product of sap from a palm
treese.Sap from different palm varieties can be use in making toddy but in
Nepal especially wild date (phoenix
syslvestris) and Palmyra (Borassus
flabelliefert) and dwarf date palm (phoenix
humilis) are used.The collected sap generally contains 10-15% sugar and is
converted to alcohol by means of yeast present in pot( mud pot/HADI/ GHAILA)as
a culture from former Toddy. It contains mainly Saccharomyces as well as some
other species of yeast like kloecdes, Pichia, Candida, and endomycopsis.
Aamchoor (dry mango flesh)
It is the dried product made from preripened mango flesh.Its production in
Nepal is only limited to house hold level. It's made from the preripening stage
of mango and contained high organic acid. Mangoes are destining and
longitudinally cut into small piece, mixed with salt and turmeric powder and
dried in sun.. It can be stored in more than one year in tight glass container.
Its mainly consumed as Achar ( pickle) with general dish of Nepalese( Dal, Bhat
and Tarkari).It helps on digestion process of elderly people whose rate of
decreasing PH in stomach is very slow during meal.
Dried Amala (Amala ko sukuti)
It is dried products of fruits Amala (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica
officinalis) abundantly found in many part of the Nepal. It is a deciduous
tree of the Euphobriaceae family well
known for beneficial fruit for health. It contains ascorbic acid (Vit C) in
high quantity. It can be used as Achar whereas the powder from dried Amala can
be used in various ayurvedic medicines also.
Sulphating (0.5% KMS) can be done prior to drying to preserve its colour and
ascorbic acid loss during preparation of dried Amala.
………………….compiled by: Subodh Khanal
