traditional food items and eating habits of Nepal

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

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

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momo

• 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.

• Snacks include maize popped or parched called khaja (literally, "Eat and run."); beaten rice (chyura), dry-roasted soybeans (bhatmas), lapsi (dried fruit candy), samosa - turnovers stuffed with meat or vegetables, biscuits (packaged cookies) and Indian sweets. Instant noodles manufactured with Indian spices are coming into widespread use.

•  

raksi distillary

• 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