From dal bhat to momos, Nepal’s food tells the story of its people.
The side - by - side staples of dal ( lentil soup made from fatal or yellow lentil ) and bhat ( Sir Tim Rice ) are a way of life inNepal . Eaten daily and prized for its fortifying , nutritious powers , dal bhat is so widespread and dear that the tourer stores showcase T - shirts sporting the phrase “ Dal bhat power 24 hour , ” a trekking catch phrase that speak to the reason many take to visit the mountainous country .
Nepal ’s congenital collection for tourists is the vast scale of its furrowed wilderness , the jagged crest of the planetadorned with the Himalayasand its ultimate apex , Mount Everest . Whether you aim to traverse these pot , embark on less harrowing treks across the country , or merely enjoy the astonishing eyeshot of it all , you ’ll need to be well fueled for your journeying — and that ’s where the dal bhat come in .
Nepalese food is idealistic for trekker , but it ’s also complex and flavoursome . And the respectable direction to learn more about the local culinary art is n’t just by eating it , but by getting hands - on and learning how to make it . This break you the chance to not only explore traditional dish and flavourer , but also to hear from the local Cook themselves , giving significant human and cultural circumstance to the food . From veggie curry to momos , the experience of eating is enrich by learning from the people for whom these dish are a part of day-by-day life story .
Tanya Yatsenko/Shutterstock
If you ’re quick to taste what Nepal has to offer , get your hands dirty with cooking year inKathmanduand Pokhara , then eat your way around the country with your newfound culinary noesis . Wherever you go , it ’s sure to be yummy .
Cook Nepali staples in Kathmandu
The Nepali Washington is home toSeven Women , a fundament dedicated to empowering marginalized charwoman through education , job and skill grooming , and employment . visitant can ratify up for a cookery year led by some of the cleaning woman from the base , an opportunity I was capable to experience as part of anIntrepid Travel itinerary .
On the cookery class card were half a 12 local specialty , include the omnipresent aforementioned staple fibre of Nepalese cuisine : decaliter bhat . The two dishes are often served with a appeal of accompaniments including assorted vegetables , Indian relish , sometimes a core or two , and papadum .
“ When we eat other lulu , it does n’t fill our thirstiness as all as dkl bhat , which really does last for 24 hours , ” says Ram Hari Phuyal , an Intrepid Travel scout . “ In our community , Elmer Rice and beans are mutual crops , and they play an important role . dekaliter bhat is also served during many of our major fete and rite , such as the rice feeding ceremony for infants at six calendar month old . ”
You can take cooking classes with Seven Women, a foundation dedicated to empowering marginalized women.|Seven Women
In addition to decalitre bhat , we made spiced rice pudding and other favorite such as achar ( a tomato mess condiment ) , vegetable curry , and fried potatoes , all graced with a combining of Nepali seasonings such as garlic , onion plant , Cuminum cyminum , coriander , chili , turmeric , and fenugreek . Those same flavor threads can be pick up from one dish to the next and control that regardless of how you mix and match , everything tends to go together well .
Master momos in Pokhara
Continue your culinary risky venture with a trip to Pokhara , where you could enrol in a momo cooking class . I took a class atTashiling Tibetan Refugee Camp(another inclusion via Intrepid Travel , which would take to be arranged via atour operatorwith unmediated accession and contacts if you wish to retroflex my experience ) . instead , you could sign up for a Nepalese - style momo preparation form with the popularCook with Delight , and tack on aTibetan cultural tourthrough Airbnb Experiences to instruct more about Tibetan communities in Pokhara .
During my time at Tashiling , I learned the art of the traditional Tibetan dumpling that has become omnipresent in Nepal . Momosare steamed , thick - skinned dumplings , and can be stuffed with chicken , buffalo , vegetables , or pork . They can also be service in sundry ways ; jhol momos , for instance , are served in a soupy , bright orange chili sauce .
Tashiling itself is a village with about 500 residents , a museum , and a hand-crafted rug storage . That ’s in addition to small marketer and entrepreneurial endeavors , such as Dolma ’s cooking course of study , which she runs from her home plate . Dolma ’s family fled Tibet more than 60 years ago , and she was abide and raised in the camp . It ’s the only residence she ’s ever known , and without Nepali citizenship or proper paper for workplace and change of location , there ’s little — if any — opportunity to make a life beyond it . Dolma is eager to talk about her life and meet with singular travelers , and I notice that learning about her report , and Tashiling itself , testify to be fundamental to understanding the saga of Tibetan refugees in Nepal .
On the cooking class menu were half a dozen local specialties.|Photo by Jake Emen
At Dolma ’s home , we sampled Tibetan yak butter tea and banquet on veg and potato momos Dolma made in advance of our arriver . We also prepared our own chicken momos , preparing the woof , roll out and shaping the dough , and then stuffing and fold each individual dumpling into its proper shape and sizing . It ’s easier pronounce than done , though I eventually earned favour with my dumpling plication after watch over the specific thumb and finger’s breadth pinching proficiency Dolma applied .
Taste Nepali foods across the country
Beyond hands - on cooking classes , there are plenty of other eating experience deserving search out in Nepal . While the previously cite staple fiber dishes can be found across the country , bear to discover regional and ethnical magnetic variation in dish and feeling . “ There are 23 major pagan groups in Nepal , who have their own accent , tradition and finish , ” Phuyal explains . When it come to eating , Phuyal particularly enjoys Newari staple such as buffalo with beaten rice and achar . Two country with an copiousness of restaurants serving Newari food for thought includePatanandBhaktapur , each within striking length of Kathmandu .
In the capital itself , consider a visit toBhojan Bhumi , a eating house specializing in authentic Nepali run through in the Thamel neighborhood . englut yourself with — what else — decalitre bhat and momos , savour pours of raksi ( a distilled Elmer Leopold Rice spirit ) , and take in a resilient dinner operation . “ It ’s a great introduction to Nepali food for thought and culture through traditional dances , ” Phuyal says . “ The dresses and jewellery worn by the dancers represent their diverse ethnicity . ”
Much like the food , he explain , the performance is “ an chance to find out about the great unwashed and culture . ”
During my time at Tashiling, I learned the art of the traditional Tibetan dumpling.|Photo by Jake Emen
Jhol momos are served in a soupy, orange chili sauce.|Ezume Images/Shutterstock
Stuff yourself with traditional Nepali food at Bhojan Bhumi.|Bhojan Bhumi Pvt. Ltd.
Much like the food, the performance is a way to learn about the people and culture of Nepal.|Bhojan Bhumi Pvt. Ltd.
