When you think about visiting Nepal, you immediately start to think the best food experience in nepal after that picturing the mountains and the hills. Known worldwide for its geographical and cultural diversity, Nepal is one of the most exciting tourist destinations. This cultural and geographical diversity gives us something other than natural beauty too.
Since not every kind of food grows in all geographic regions and every ethnic group has a different favorite, the variety of food in Nepal is also one of its specialties. In addition to one culture influencing the other domestically, Nepal also has international influences of its two food-savvy nations China and India. From its most known dishes like the staple “DaalBhaat” and momos to newly growing favorites like Laphing, Nepali cuisine will definitely satisfy you.
You can find various types of food in each part of Nepal. However, the popular ones are available everywhere. Don't miss out on these foods when you visit Nepal. The different hands that make these foods around the country pass on a variation in taste but the homely feeling of Nepali cuisine comes with every plate.
First and foremost of the popular Nepali cuisine is the regular Daal-Bhaat set. It is a dish served primarily with rice, lentils and additional vegetables or meat curries. It is the main course of the meal in almost every household in Nepal, but each culture has its own style of serving this dish. The most notable way of serving DaalBhaat would be the Thakali way. Known to produce high-grade rice, lentils, vegetables, and meat curries, you can find the “Thakali set” at various restaurants. The set consists of Bhaat (rice), daal (lentils), vegetables (spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, and so on), meat variety (chicken, mutton, buff), achaar (pickle), and at most times, a papad with a yogurt as dessert. You can get this dish at cheap prices at various parts of Nepal.
Another major dish you must not miss while in Nepal is the Momo. It is the most popular snack in Nepal, especially Kathmandu. Inspired by Tibetans, momos are steamed dumplings with meat or vegetables wrapped with flour. There are several variations to this dish where you can get it Fried, Kothey (half fried), or Chilled. Due to its high demand, you can get this snack at almost every restaurant at almost every corner of the country, sometimes served with their own personal twists.
Newari cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in Nepal. The Newari culture has a lot of fancy dishes and it all comes down when you have a traditional Newari feast. If you are lucky enough to attend one, you will get to taste most of the delicacies in a single sitting. However, if you do not get to attend one, you can always go to the nearest Newari restaurant and order a Newari Khaja Set.
It is the closest dish that will give you the feeling and experience to have tasted the Newari cuisine. The Newari Khaja Set is a huge dish collaboratively made from various dishes from the Newari cuisine. Served with beaten rice, the Newari Khaja Set usually consists of 9 items: fried potatoes, spinach, black-eyed peas, soybean, boiled fried eggs, bara, choila, fried fish, and achaar. In the end, you can have the famous “Juju Dhau”, a Newari style yogurt which originated in the traditional city of Bhaktapur.
Another one of the typical Nepali food items is the Sel Roti. You can find this dish at almost every occasion in Nepal. It is a traditional food item every household makes during a festival or an auspicious event. It is a ring-shaped food item typically made of rice flour, water, and sugar. However, the ingredients depend on the chef as there are various methods to make this food item.
Food is a very important experience of any trip. Your journey to Nepal lets you taste the various foods from different ethnicities that give your taste buds a sensational experience. Although the majority of the dishes are inspired from each other and also from the Tibetan and Indian cuisine, the Nepali cookery, its own way of spicing the dishes and modifying it, gives each food a satisfactorily eccentric taste. So, do not forget to satiate your taste buds while exploring the nooks and corners of the diverse country.
