Nepal is indeed a dream destination for tourists. The enriched geographical fertile plains and beautiful forested hills are heavens on earth. As Nepal is highlighted for its rich and diverse culture, traditional Nepali food is a major attraction for tourists from all over the world.
In this article, we will share some famous Nepali food that is worth trying. Make your visit to Nepal a dream come true!
About Traditional Nepali Food
Every country has some special food to grab the attention of food lovers.
Being the combination of two major cultural influences of Indian and Tibetan, the Nepali cuisine culture is variant in its uniqueness.
- Famous traditional Nepali food is an amazing combo of rice, wheat, corn, and lentils along with fresh vegetables and meat.
- The best part of traditional Nepali Food is the selection of organic ingredients. These include garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and black pepper.
- They also use additional flavors like nutmeg, bay leaves, and hot sizzling chilies.
- Many dishes are enriched with onions tadka and Himalayan-derived herbs to make the food more delicious.
- Pickles are also an important part of the plate.
- Almost in all famous traditional Nepali food, Desi ghee is the main source of fats.
- Sometimes they use Yak butter to highlight the beautiful color, aroma, and delicious taste.
- However, to make food savory, Nepalis prefer mustard oil instead of common oil.
Traditional Nepali food customs
The Nepalis follow some traditional Nepali Food eating habits to keep their customs and identity alive. Few food customs are
- Nepalis eat their food just two times a day. First they eat breakfast in the morning and then dinner at almost seven or eight in the evening.
- Though breakfast is usually simple like having milk tea and cookies.
- Moreover, they prefer snacks in the evening.
- As dinner is very important for them so Nepali people like to enjoy it with their family.
- Also, Nepalis prefer their dinner full of nutrients.
- Another frequently adopted custom is eating the rice with bare hands instead of using cutlery sets.
- In addition, they prefer to eat the traditional Nepali Foods with their right hands.
7 Famous Nepali Food to enlighten your taste buds
Nepali food is a true calling for foodies! Some of the famous Nepali cuisines are:
Daal Bhat Tarkari
It is a common food item, served daily throughout the country.
Daal is a delicious soup of lentils and spices and is usually served with boiled grains called Bhat. So the best part of the Daal Bhat Tarkari is its simplicity in flavors as well as cost-effectiveness.
Also, Nepali people prefer their food rich in proteins and other nutrients. So different vegetables are coated with spices and curry powder to complete the meal. This simple combination is Tarkari.
In addition, as the meal is full of proteins, tourists love to enjoy Daal Bhat Tarkari in their meal after trekking and Hiking in Nepal.
Momos; the true Nepali Food
Who doesn’t loves Momo?
Momo is the most tagged dish as a must-try for everyone visiting Nepal. It’s another famous food that has made its way to the Golden menu.
It’s just like a small samosa and they serve Momo as an appetizer in restaurants. The yummy dumpling is made from dough and filled with beef, or chicken, and vegetables. Also, it tastes amazing with different kinds of sauces.
Momo equals a pizza for Nepali food lovers and is commonly available in restaurants, hotels, and motels in Nepal. In a nutshell, Momos are pure joy!
Delicious Aloo Tama
The name Aloo Tama itself is quite attractive. Aloo means potatoes and Tama means Bamboo Shoots. They also call Aloo Tama”Potato Black-eyed beans Bamboo Shoot Soup”. It is a yummy dish to eat with rice or Samay baji.
Bamboo shoots’ add the additional flavor of sourness along with spices. As the curry has a sour taste, the presence of beans and buff meat makes it more delicious. However, Gluten-free vegetarian meal lovers prefer to take it with brown rice and quinoa.
In a nutshell, Aloo Tama is a tasty curry dish and is one of the most demanding dishes in Nepal.
Tourists love to eat Aloo Tama as it engages their taste buds with unique and awesome flavors. Also, a famous Fresh Element Restaurant serves the best Aloo Tama in Nepal.
Dhido
It is a thick porridge, blended with cornmeal, buckwheat flour, and millet flour dipped in salt and water. Dhido is another versatile top-up menu item in Nepal. It is called the national food of Nepal and is best healthy diet.
This dish is the most demanding dish in rural areas and is mostly related to the region of Kathmandu and Thamel. Dhido has a very quirky taste.
It tastes well with butter, pickles, vegetables, buttermilk, and yogurt. The eatables addition with Dhido increases its flavors and the urge to eat more and more.
Dhido is remarkable due to its sugar-free ingredients like maize or wheat. In other words, Dhido is a true treat.
Yomari
As festivals play an important role in the cultural diversity of any country, Yomari is titled up with the name “festival of Nepali food”. The dish Yomhari is made during the celebration of the festival “Yomari Punhi” only.
Yomari Punhi is the famous Nepali festival that Nepali people celebrates in winter as a ritual to thank God for the best harvest.
This dish is famous in Kathmandu. Tasty Yomari is a unique and excellent addition to the list of desserts. Its basic ingredient is rice dough.
The sweet appetizing Yomhari is a blend of coconut, sesame seeds and molasses. They also make spicy version of Yomari with lentils.
Everest beer
Well, forget about fancy drinks and cocktails and try Nepali beer. Nepal has some famous local beverages like Everest beer and Raksi to give tourists a true Nepali experience.
Samay Bhaji
Samay bhaji is a traditional food platter and contains meat, eggs, rice, and potato Salad. All the dishes are cooked and served perfectly in a traditional way. It is a blessing for those who love to eat finely cooked meat.
In conclusion, these were the few famous traditional Nepali dishes that you must try at least once in your life. After all, tasting yummy cultural food makes your visit to any place worth it!