Nepalese food is as varied as the country itself. Recipes and cooking methods have been passed down from generation to generation. In this blog post, we'll talk about how to make ten traditional Nepali dishes. This list has something for everyone, whether you want a hearty meal or a light snack. So let's get started!
Momo
Momo is a type of dumpling that is popular throughout Nepal. It is usually made with chicken, buffalo meat or vegetables and served steamed, fried, or in soup. To make your momos at home, combine all-purpose flour, warm water, and salt to form the dough. Roll out thin and cut circles for the momos with a biscuit cutter or a cup. Fill each circle with the filling you want. The filling could be vegetable, chicken, pork, or beef. Fold the circles in half and pinch them to seal. Finally, steam the momo in a steamer basket until cooked through.
Sel Roti
Take a journey to Nepal with every bite of Sel roti! This traditional snack is made from rice flour, clarified butter and deep-fried in oil until it obtains a beautiful golden brown hue. To achieve the perfect sel roti recipe, blend together rice flour, sugar, cardamom powder baking soda, salt and water into an even consistency - then heat some oil in a pan before pouring your slurry mixture into ring shapes. Fry them up until they are delightfully crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Serve hot or cold for that authentic Nepalese experience!
Sukuti
Sukuti is a popular Nepali dish made with dried beef marinated in spices. To make your sukuti, break up the beef into small pieces with a mortar and pestle. Then, marinate it for at least two hours in a mixture of turmeric, cumin, coriander powder, salt, garlic paste, and chili paste. Then, heat some oil in a pan and fry the beef that has been marinated until it is golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with naan bread or rice.
Yomari
Yomari is another traditional Nepalese dish made of steamed dumplings with sweet fillings like coconut or jaggery (unrefined cane sugar). To make yomari, combine all-purpose flour with hot water to form a soft dough. Divide the dough into small balls and roll out each one in a circle. Place a spoonful of your desired filling in the center of the circles before pleating them up around it and forming them into cone shapes. Finally, steam the yomari in a steamer basket until cooked. Serve warm with tea or coffee.
Gundruk
Gundruk is a fermented vegetable dish from Nepal and has been around for hundreds of years. It is made by letting mustard greens or spinach ferment in salt water for a few weeks until they are soft and sour. To make your own gundruk at home, wash the greens well and cut them into small pieces. Then, mix them with a lot of salt and tightly pack them into a jar. Leave the jar in a warm, dry place for at least three weeks before stirring it and tasting it to see if it's ready.
Alu Tama
A traditional Nepalese dish, alu tama is made with potatoes, beans, bamboo shoots, and tomatoes. It is usually cooked in a spicy gravy made with garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. To make alu tama at home, start by browning the potatoes and bamboo shoots in oil until the outsides are crispy. Then add the spices and tomatoes to the pan and cook until everything is soft. Lastly, serve hot with rice or naan bread that has been steamed.
Chatmari
Chatamari is a dish from Nepal that is similar to pizza. It is a crepe made from rice flour that hasn't been left out to rise. It has an egg, minced meat, and vegetables on top. To make chatamari at home, make the batter by mixing rice flour, salt, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Then, heat some oil in a nonstick pan and pour in just enough batter to cover the bottom lightly. Then, add whatever ingredients you want on top. Lastly, cook everything until both sides are golden brown. Serve hot with tomato chutney or chili peppers that have been pickled.
Dal Bhat
Dal bhat is a staple dish in Nepal. It comprises steamed rice, lentil soup (dal), and various vegetables. To make dal bhat at home, boil the rice until it is soft. In a separate bowl or pressure cooker, boil the lentils, add turmeric, salt, and garlic and bring to boil until they are soft. Then, cook the vegetables in a separate pan and season them with turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, and salt. Last, put all three parts together to make a real Nepalese meal. Add some fresh cilantro, and lime juice to the top. Enjoy!
Thukpa
Thukpa is a hearty noodle soup from Tibet and Nepal. To make your own at home, start boiling some noodles in a pot of salted water until they are soft. Then, stir-fry onions, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms with spices like garlic paste, chili paste, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Lastly, add the cooked noodles and some stock or broth to the pan and let everything simmer until it thickens. Serve hot with chopped cilantro and lime wedges on top for an extra flavor boost.
How Can I Use These Traditional Nepali Spices to Prepare the Dishes?
Traditional Nepali cuisine is not complete without the use of delicious spices in Nepalese cuisine. You can use these aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and mustard in various dishes. They add a unique flavor and depth to the food, making it distinctively Nepali.
Kwati
Kwati is a Nepalese dish that has been around for hundreds of years and is one of the most popular dishes at festivals. It is made by cooking mixed sprouted beans with spices like garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, and turmeric. Start making kwati at home by letting the different types of beans soak in water overnight. After soaking, pour off the water and spread the seeds out in a shallow dish so they can grow. Then add all the spices and cook them in a pan until everything is soft. Serve hot with bread or rice.
Conclusion
Nepalese food is full of tasty dishes that people worldwide love. From gundruk to kwati, everyone can find a dish they like. You can easily make these dishes at home with just a few simple ingredients and spices to get the real Nepalese taste. So why not just try it?
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