Top 9 Iconic Nepali Foods Every Traveler Has to Taste

The small landlocked nation sandwiched between the two giants, India and china: Nepal is graced with unmatched natural and cultural magnificence. Despite the fame, there are a lot of things that travelers should not miss out on. You got it, Nepali foods! If you want to make Nepali easy dishes you can, you can’t make it-should try to make them at home. As you know, attempting new foods is like into new adventures like travelers. Thus, we seek a new variety of dishes and take; in Nepal, you will find variety of dishes inspired by Indian cuisine and Tibetan cuisine.

In Nepal, due to the multi-ethnic and multicultural nature, it has own variety of dishes to offer. Every community in Nepal holds its own food culture. The community of Newar in Nepal itself has more than 200 dishes in its cuisine. Can you imagine? Yes, Just in Newar communities! Popular dishes included in Nepal are Dal Bhat, Momos, Sekuwa, Thakali, Yomari, Bara, Gundruk, Thukpa and many more. This is just giving you a glimpse of Nepali foods. Thus, let’s just highlight most of the best dishes that you must try when you visit in Nepal and make it easy for you.

1. Dal Bhat

In Nepal, the no.1 food Dal Bhat that you won’t miss while visiting Nepal. No doubt Dal Bhat is one of the favorites foods in Nepal and typical Nepali people consumed twice a day. Dal Bhat where Dal means lentil soup, Bhat means rice, including tarkari means Curries to make it more flavorful. It boost of energy 24 hours served as your lunch and dinner. Dal Bhat comes with a big chunk of long rice on your plate by three or more side dishes, mostly greens, including meat, spinach, pickles, adding papad and salad. If you order in restaurant, mostly ask the waiter to add more rice’s to your plate if you are not full enough added the side dishes too. You can find it as both street food and restaurant food, but it is really home made. The taste make you crave and wanting more and more and always ask for Dal Bhat.

2. Sel roti

A sweet treat among food in Nepal is Selroti, is circular, deep fried, crisp, puffy dough, simplicity and delicious and made with rice flour. A satisfy crunch with each bites of Selroti. The taste of sweetness craves you for more. Prepared Selroti is the iconic symbol of Nepali culture for many festivals and occasions in Nepal. It should be eaten warm with curries is making better taste and with tea in the morning also. The choice is yours! So, grab the Selroti and experience the magic taste of Nepali food for yourself.

3. MOMO

Aside from having a cute name MOMO, it is one of the best foods to try in Nepal. During the making of MOMO wrapped in white flour dough filled with meat or vegetable mixed with a blend of Nepalese spices or coordinator-sized bites, a smell brings more appetite and the tastes are no boundaries.

4. Yomari

Yomari is a steamed dumpling, one of the most unique dishes offered by the Newar community of Nepal made of rice flour shaped of fish with sweet mixture of jiggery, sesame, seeds and khoya (milk solids) are packed inside the dough and steamed. The soft, chewy dough encases, a sweet is a celebration of flavors and textures. Visit Kathmandu for Yomari first hand, during the Yom,ari Punhi festival, symbolizing fertility and abundance.

5. Ju-Ju Dhau

“The King of Curds”, JuJu Dhau is a type of yoghurt which is famous and mostly find in every shop in Bhaktapur. It’s well known for sweet yoghurt and not gets the taste like this in any corner of the world. The standard yoghurt made from fresh buffalo milk boiling in traditional firewood, add sugar honey and then leaving pasteurize in the clay pot make it cooler and tastier. Bhaktapur is famous for clay pot, the ancient city of newar ethnic people and where the JuJu Dhau specialty. Curds are considered pure by many people and use this in all kind of festival and family gatherings.

6. Dhido and Gundruk

Dhido and Gundruk is a traditional Nepali food I farming family in hilly and mountain region which is a thick porridge made by flour (Buck-wheat, Kodo (millet), maize, barley and oats) mixing continuously hot water. Gundruk is dry Spanish, it tastes awesome when it is fried and mixed with salt, green chili, lemon, salt, garlic and tomato, which used for soup or pickle also. The combination of Dhido and Gundruk smell will make your mouth go watery. Although, Dhido is most popular dish in the Nepal after Dal Bhat and we can find a served in many Nepali restaurant too.

7. Chatamari

Chatamari a must try delicacy of Nepal, popular Newari dish is referred as Newari Pizza named by many foreigners. Prepared with ingredients such as rice flour, meat, and egg and seasoned with vegetables. Consist the rice crepe is topped, minced meat, tomato onions, green chili and mixture of species to provide it with a distinct aroma and flavor.

8. SamayaBaji

SamayaBaji is the famous Newari dish consumed as lunch and snacks, but now a day’s all the people love for lunch also. It comprises the nutritional diet. The dish platter consists of Chiura (beaten rice), smoke meat, roasted potato and beans, green mustard, roasted soybean, Barg, fried pancakes, boiled egg, boiled beans and potato with spicy, ginger pickle and the homemade Newari drink called Alia. It is easily find at Kathmandu in Newari cafe and delicious with local wine.

9.Thakali Khana

Thakali Khana, a dish that holds a special place in the heart of Nepal captured the pure taste buds of locals and visitors alike. In the plate of Thakali Khana we can see the soft rice in the center, black lentils, Gundruk, pure Nepali ghee, Pickles, Salad, curry, Meat for non vegetarian and other variety of vegetables and meat are  included in dishes. The sign board of “Thakali Khana” will be visible in the restaurants. The texture of its presentation make you think twice before tasting this food.