FoodWorld

If you are the unconventional of kind and are truly in love with food, then you are probably not the kind to be thrown off by the possibility of a little stomach ache.  The real taste of any culture rests in the street food the place has to offer. The ever-bustling city of Kathmandu is thriving with gastronomic adventures at every corner, galli and chowk. We take you to a journey that entails delicious encounters at each stop. These humble foods are closer to a common man’s heart and budget, bursting with flavours, and may cause a slight rumbling of the stomach. But the probability of a little stomach ache should not scare you off from taking up this journey. Come join us! 2) Sekuwa: The Nepali-style barbecue – Sekuwa, is as much a loved weekend-get-together plan as it is a popular street dish. A growing trend in Kathmandu street food scene, you will find at least one sekuwa stand in vicinity. While the crowd favourite choice of meat is buff, you will find unconventional stands or

Juju Dhau  (The King Yogurt from Bhaktapur,  Nepal) Juju Dhau  is a sweetened custard-like yogurt that comes from Bhaktapur, Nepal, and is an important component of all feasts and celebrations.   Juju Dhau  literally means "king of yogurt" in the Newari language.  While cow's milk is used to make regular yogurt, fresh buffalo milk (bhaisi)  is traditionally used for Juju Dhau, resulting in a richer taste and texture.  To make  Juju Dhau , the milk is boiled, sweetened, mixed with culture, and poured into decorative, natural red clay pot called  maato ko kataaro .  It is then placed in a warm area, on a bed of paddy husks (the papery covering of rice grains), covered with another  kataaro  on top, and wrapped in several thick cotton blankets to maintain a warm temperature while the yogurt sets.  Because the clay pots are porous, the excess liquid from the yogurt slowly evaporates, leaving a delicious, thick, smooth and creamy yogurt.  It is then transported and s

Dhindo or Dhido  (pronounced dhee-dough) sounds like some exotic dish from Nepal, but it is simply a thick porridge or mush, made by cooking stone-ground cornmeal  (ghatta maa pidheko makai ko pitho ), millet flour ( kodo ko pitho ) or buckwheat flour ( phaapar ko pitho ) with salt and water. Dhindo  has been a staple food of most rural and middle mountain-area people of Nepal, especially in dry areas where rice or wheat corps are difficult to grow. This hearty and filling dish is a nutrient powerhouse and is often eaten with a dab of homemade butter or clarified butter ( nauni, gheu ), curried vegetables ( jhol tarkaari ), or with various pickles, buttermilk or yogurt.  Gundruk-Dhindo  is the most common combination served in farming communities.  Gundruk  is a fermented and preserved leafy vegetable that is used to prepare a soup like dish that is known as  gundruk ko jhol . Traditional  dhindo  meals are served on typical Nepali round plates called  thaal  made of stainless ste

Given Nepal's vast geographic and cultural diversity,  it is difficult to generalize about what constitutes Nepali cuisine.  It is however, characterized by its simplicity, lightness, and healthfulness.  A typical meal uses only the freshest local ingredients, minimal fat, and an artful combination of herbs and spices. Nepali cuisine varies by region, from the tropical Terai region to the arctic Himalayas, but most meals consist of some form of rice or other grain accompanied by dried beans, lentils, or peas, and fresh vegetables.  A common meal in many areas is  daal-bhaat-tarkaari,  (lentil-rice-vegetable) combination.  Rice is usually boiled and accompanied by a lentil soup.  The  daal  is prepared from a variety of dried beans, lentils and peas.  There are at least a dozen varieties of daal  dishes and each has different tastes and flavor.  This also provides a liquid that go along with the rice.  Vegetables are the third component of this staple meal.  A variety of fresh veget

Momo, म:म:  - also known as  momo-cha   ममचा , is one of the most popular dishes in Nepal.  They are bite-size dumplings made with a spoonful of stuffing wrapped in dough.   Momos  are usually steamed, though they are sometimes fried or steam-fried.  The filling of meat or vegetables becomes succulent as it produces an intensively flavored broth sealed inside the wrappers. This history (origin) of  momo  in Nepal is uncertain and clearly rustic in their origin.  No one knows precisely how and when the  momo  traveled or originated in Nepal and why it was named  momo.   Since this dish is popular among the Newar community of Kathmandu valley, one prevalent belief is that Newari traders brought  momo  techniques from Lhasa, Tibet.  They modified the seasonings of the dish with available ingredients, using water buffalo meat, and gave the dish a Nepali name.  Others believe the dish was introduced to Nepali cuisine by Tibetans who migrated to live in the mountains of Nepal.  Whatev

Nepali food is often fused or associated with North Indian food or Tibetan food, or a combination of both. Nepali food, however, has its own distinctive flavors and textures. In the southern Terai regions of Nepal, the cuisine has more of the neighboring influence from North India. commonly used spices in both cuisines are cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, red and green chilies, garlic, fresh ginger and onions. Nepali spices such as  jmbu  (Himalayan herb) and  timbur (schewan pepper) are not seen in Indian  cooking. In Kathmandu the spicing is milder and subtler.  Dhindo, gundruk , lentil stews, sun dried vegetables, bamboo shoots,  sukuti  (dried meat) are more common in hilly areas. Tibetan influence brings  momo , the stuffed dumpling, fermented bamboo shoots and such. I would say Nepali food is neither Indian nor Tibetan, but a confluence of the two with a unique twist.  These traditional dishes have been cooked and enjoyed in Nepal for generations. A visit to Ne