nepali vegetarian dishes

Pickled Potatoes (Aloo Acchar)

If you love hot, spicy and sour stuff like most Nepali people do, you'll love this recipe. However, people not used to eating spicy food can still enjoy it by using a lesser amount of chilies.

Ingredients

• 10-12 medium-sized potatoes
• 1/4 cup black sesame seeds (til)
• 2-3 green chillies (more or less according to taste)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 3-4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp mustard oil
• coriander leaves
• 1 tsp chili powder
• salt according to taste

Directions

Boil and peel potatoes. Cut them into approx 1 inch cubes. Place the til in a pan and roast the till they look well roasted and crisp. Remove the pan fron heat and let the til cool. Then grind the til into a fine powder(as you might notice til contains oil). Add the til powder, chili powder, salt, turmeric, lemon juice and mustard oil to the potatoes and mix well. Also add the green chilies cutting them into long strips. If the sauce looks too thick, you can add some water and if the sauce is not thick enough, you can add some mashed potatoes. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy.

Beans and Bamboo Shoots

Ingredients

• 1 cup bamboo shoots
• 2 cups potatoes, peeled, and cut into ½-in. cubes
• 1 cup black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
• 1 cup onions, finely chopped
• 3 dried red chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

In a sauce pan heat oil, fry dried red chilies until dark. Add onions and sautee until light brown. Add cumin, coriander, chili powder, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Fry for 1 min under low heat. Add potatoes to the onion mixture and sautee for 5 min in medium heat. Sprinkle water if it starts to burn. Add soaked beans, bamboo shoots, tomatoes, yogurt, and broth to the potatoes mixture; stir well. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15-20 min. under low heat until potatoes are fork-tender, and the gravy has attained its desired consistency. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice, or roti.
Submitted by: Tulsi Regmi

Vegetable Curry From Nepal

Ingredients

In A Dutch Oven, Saute
• 3 Onions, sliced thin
• 3 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ts Ground coriander
• 1 ts Ground turmeric
• 1/2 ts Ground cumin
• 1/4 ts Dry mustard
• 1/8 ts (+-) cayenne
  Add To It
• 6 c Potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed And diced
• 1 ds Peanut oil for flavor
  When Almost Tender, Add
• 4 1/2 c Broccoli, cauliflower or Cabbage, chopped
• 1 Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 ts Curry powder

Directions

Cover and simmer until all veggies are tender. Serve over rice.

Posted by EBWATERS to AOL. [Rev. SKS. Original called for sauteing in peanut oil and adding greater quantity of peanut oil at end]
From the recipe files of Sue Smith, SueSmith9@aol.com.

Nepali Vegetable MOMOs

(Nepali Vegetable Stuffed Dumplings)

Ingredients

Dough for wrappers:
• 3 cup All-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups assorted vegetables (spinach, cauliflower, carrot, green peas, daikon, red pepper, green pepper), finely chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon timur
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 fresh red chilies, minced
• 1 cup Nepali cheese (paneer), roughly crushed
• 2 tablespoon clarified butter
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
• 1 tablespoon water-flour mixture (thickening agent)
• Salt to taste

Filling:

Directions

Dough
In a large bowl combine flour, oil, salt and water. Mix well, knead until the dough becomes homogeneous in texture, about 8-10 min. Cover and let stand for at least 30 min. Knead well again before staging the wrappers.
Filling:
In a non-stick pan heat clarified butter, splitter fenugreek until it turns dark. Add chopped onions and saute until just slightly light brown. Add turmeric, garlic, ginger, and chilies. Fry for 30 sec. Put vegetables and stir-fry until slightly soft. Do NOT over stir-fry the vegetables. Salt and pepper the vegetable mixture. Add cheese, green onions and cilantro, mix well. To solidify the vegetable mixture, add one tablespoon of flour-water mixture. Mix the mass over until thickened. Transfer the vegetable filling into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow cooling.
Assembly:
Give the dough a final knead. Prepare 1-in. dough balls. Take a ball, roll between your palms to spherical shape. Dust working board with dry flour. On the board gently flatten the ball with your palm to about 2-in circle. Make a few semi-flattened circles, cover with a bowl. Use a rolling pin to roll out each flattened circle into a wrapper. For well excecuted MOMOs, it is essential that the middle portion of the wrapper be slightly thicker than the edges to ensure the structural integrity of dumplings during packing and steaming. Hold the edges of the semi-flattened dough with one hand and with the other hand begin rolling the edges of the dough out, swirling a bit at a time. Continue until the wrapper attains 3-in diameter circular shape. Repeat with the remaining few semi-flattened dough. Cover with bowl to prevent from drying.

For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of the filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the center, making the pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling. This holds the key to good tasting, juicy dumplings.
Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well. This is critical because it will prevent dumplings from sticking. Arrange uncooked MOMOs in the steamer. Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 8-10 min. Take the dumplings off the steamer, and immediately serve. To serve, arrange the cooked MOMOs on a plate dressed with an ample amount of hot tomato achar.

Vegetable Thukpa

(Himalayan Vegetable-Noodle Stew)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Tibetan noodles, similar to spaghetti, cavatelli
• 3 cups assorted vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, green beans, mustard greens, potatoes)
• ½ lb. Spinach, washed and cut into pieces
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon jwanu (lovage seeds)
• 3 fresh chilies, julienned
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup tomatoes
• ½ cup yogurt
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Cook noodles in boiling salted water until slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse. In a sauce pan heat two tablespoons of mustard oil. Add onions, fry till light brown. Add turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin powder, and chilies. Stir well for a minute or so. Put the assorted vegetables and stir-fry well, about five min. To the vegetable mixture add tomatoes, soy sauce, yogurt, broth, jwanu, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender. Add the noodles and stew for five more minutes or until nice consistency of the sauce is attained.
And lastly, add spinach and fold into the stewed noodles for a minute or so until wilted. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with roti.
source:http://www.asiarecipe.com/nepveg.html

A typical day for a Nepali starts with a morning worship and a fresh cup of tea. The milk tea is very common.

Eastern Nepal (including the world famous tea producer: Ilaam) is the major source of tea not only for the country but the whole South Asian region and abroad. Eastern Nepal and parts of Indian Darjeeling and Sikkim are home to the world’s finest tea gardens. Some people in Nepal take additional rounds of tea/coffee in the morning because normal work-hours begin a little late (around 9 or 10 AM). Unlike a light breakfast, they take a decent size morning meal which is Daal-Bhaat. Daal is primarily a lentil soup and Bhaat is plain rice. The southern Nepalese plains (Terai Region) are the major producers of rice among other crops.

Daal-Bhaat is always accompanied by a curry which can be any vegetable or meat product. Everyone is so used to with it. A day would not formally start without a heavy Daal-Bhaat in Nepal. The afternoon lunch is light and can be anything. And finally, dinner is again Dal Bhat. The dinner gets richer with a variety of pickles and side dishes.  A cup of tea or two anytime during the day is never unusual.

Daal-Bhaat is so important that its not just a food but an integral part of life in Nepal. While visitors may find it a little bizarre, Nepalese are so used to and always enjoy two courses of Daal-Bhaat a day. Even Nepalese who have been living outside Nepal for years including us, still take at least one course of Daal-Bhaat (usually dinner) in a day if not two.

Besides the all-important Daal-Bhaat, there are other typical dishes like Gundruk (dried and fermented green vegetables leaves. Usually served as soup but can be eaten in a variety of different ways), Kwati (Soup with 7 or 9 different beans), Aloo Tama (Bamboo shoot and potato usually served as soup), Khir (made of rice and milk served as dessert), Sekuwa (dried and roasted meat..mmmmmhhhhh…they are so good!!!) etc. Momo (A kind of Dumplings) is one of the major Nepali dishes which is believed to have been inherited from Tibet. Momo makes a great lunch. It can be chicken, pork, buff and veggie and is served in almost every restaurant in Nepal.

If you are visiting Nepal, don’t miss to try the traditional Daal-Bhaat, or Momo or the Sekuwa. Nonetheless if you ever wanted to have something out of the traditional cuisine, you do not have to worry because a dish to your liking and taste is always around the corner. You can always hop in to any of the abundant western style fast-food restaurants including the recently opened KFC and Burger King!!

A typical day for a Nepali starts with a morning worship and a fresh cup of tea. The milk tea is very common.
Eastern Nepal (including the world famous tea producer: Ilaam) is the major source of tea not only for the country but the whole South Asian region and abroad. Eastern Nepal and parts of Indian Darjeeling and Sikkim are home to the world’s finest tea gardens. Some people in Nepal take additional rounds of tea/coffee in the morning because normal work-hours begin a little late (around 9 or 10 AM). Unlike a light breakfast, they take a decent size morning meal which is Daal-Bhaat. Daal is primarily a lentil soup and Bhaat is plain rice. The southern Nepalese plains (Terai Region) are the major producers of rice among other crops.
Daal-Bhaat is always accompanied by a curry which can be any vegetable or meat product. Everyone is so used to with it. A day would not formally start without a heavy Daal-Bhaat in Nepal. The afternoon lunch is light and can be anything. And finally, dinner is again Dal Bhat. The dinner gets richer with a variety of pickles and side dishes.  A cup of tea or two anytime during the day is never unusual.

Daal-Bhaat is so important that its not just a food but an integral part of life in Nepal. While visitors may find it a little bizarre, Nepalese are so used to and always enjoy two courses of Daal-Bhaat a day. Even Nepalese who have been living outside Nepal for years including us, still take at least one course of Daal-Bhaat (usually dinner) in a day if not two.
Besides the all-important Daal-Bhaat, there are other typical dishes like Gundruk (dried and fermented green vegetables leaves. Usually served as soup but can be eaten in a variety of different ways), Kwati (Soup with 7 or 9 different beans), Aloo Tama (Bamboo shoot and potato usually served as soup), Khir (made of rice and milk served as dessert), Sekuwa (dried and roasted meat..mmmmmhhhhh…they are so good!!!) etc. Momo (A kind of Dumplings) is one of the major Nepali dishes which is believed to have been inherited from Tibet. Momo makes a great lunch. It can be chicken, pork, buff and veggie and is served in almost every restaurant in Nepal.

If you are visiting Nepal, don’t miss to try the traditional Daal-Bhaat, or Momo or the Sekuwa. Nonetheless if you ever wanted to have something out of the traditional cuisine, you do not have to worry because a dish to your liking and taste is always around the corner. You can always hop in to any of the abundant western style fast-food restaurants including the recently opened KFC and Burger King!!
NOTE: You can visit www.ourwebmate.com for some cool stuffs in Australia Nepalese community.

source:http://www.oznepali.com/?p=14

nepali curry(tarkari)

Tarkari (Vegetable Curry) - delightful aroma sensation

Mix any fresh vegetables, add curry powder and other spice, cook them in water or stir fry, you now have a dish fit for any king!

Aloo Gobi ko Tarkari: (Curry of Potatoes and Cauliflower) - Popular vegetable Tarkari with high status value is popularly known as Aloo Gobi, where Aloo means Potatoes and Gobi means Cauliflower. Cut potatoes, and tomatoes into medium chunks, and cut cauliflower into flowerets. Put 2 tablespoon oil in a pan, in a medium heat stir onions for a minute, then add potatoes and stir fry till potatoes are slightly brown, then add cauliflower and stir for another minute or two. Add powdered or chopped ginger, garlic, and curry and turmeric powder. Pour down water till vegetables are covered. Add salt to taste. Add tomatoes then cover the pan, cook in medium heat, add water if required to cook until vegetables are tender. Serve it hot with Bhaat! Use less water to make the Tarkari's gravy thicker. When cooking dry Aloo Gobi, cut vegetable into small chunks so they cook faster. Dry Aloo Gobi is equally a killer with a bowl of Daal! Curry can be anything, just add curry powder, spice and cook as you like! Other popular curries you should try are Beans Curry, Lamb Curry, Chicken Curry, and Mutton Curry.

Did you know? Three florets of cauliflower a day will provide you with 67% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Cauliflower helps fight against cancer, helps keep your immune system strong. It has folate, which helps your blood work more efficiently and is often recommended for preventing anemia.

Saag Tarkari (Leafy Green Vegetables Curry) - One of the most popular Nepali side dishes is Saag, which is chopped green leaves of mustard or turnip cooked alone or with other vegetables such as potatoes. Chop greens and cut potatoes into small chunks. Add a little bit of olive or mustard oil into a pan, stir fry potatoes until half coocked, then add greens, salt and turmeric. Stir occasionaly, add water if required to cook. Dish is ready when the potatoes are tender and the greens are just cooked (over cooking releases vitamin contents) Dish is ready to serve with your Nepali Dal Bhat, try it today!

Did you know? A 1/2 cup of cooked mustard greens have 130 mg Folic Acid, 52mg Calcium and 140mg Potassium, 11 Calories, 2121IU of Vitamin A and 18mg of Vitamin C. One of mustard's greatest health benefits is that it provides tremendous flavor for few calories and little fat.

Gundruk or Sinki ko Jhol (soup / curry of fermented vegetable products) - This is the number one Nepali curry of the winter season. Visit any Nepali home during winter, you are most likely to smell Gundruk or Sinki aroma in the kitchen! Gundruk is made by first fermenting green leaves of either mustard, cauliflower, or radish or a combination of them, then sun-drying them. For Gundruk, fresh green leaves are plucked from the garden, sun dried for a day or two before packing tightly in a container with a air-tight lid. Containers stand for a week or more until the leaves takes upon natural fermentation process due to lactic acid bacteria. After a thorough fermentation, the whole contents of the container are spread out on a thin plastic sheet, which are sun-dried fully for several days, then stored in containers. For Sinki, break or cut vegetables into small pieces and spread them out on a think plastic sheet, sun-dry completely for several days, then stored in a tight container. Gundruk and Sinki can last upto a year or more, they are good appetizers. Cook Gundruk or Sinki alone or with other vegetables. They can also be served as a pickle. Soak them before use for soft and tender taste. Enjoy Gundruk, you will love it!

Tomato Achar - the spicy journey to your lips!
2 cups roasted tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon each garlic and ginger, minced
1 teaspoon each cumin, coriander powder
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
3 fresh red chilies, minced
1 tablespoon each mustard seeds, and mustard oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or salt to taste
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon green onion, finely chopped

Using a blender, blend all ingredients to form a smooth paste. Heat one tablespoon of mustard oil in a pan, add slices of garlic and fry till light brown. Add the paste, stir and serve chilled. You just made Tomato Achar. Now to make Achar of mangoes or cucumber follow similar recipe. To make achar more sour and spicy, add fresh lemon juice and chili.

Lime Pickle: you can make Lime or lemon pickle at home easily too!. Try this pickle which has excellent source of vitamin c and digestive enzymes. Take a bunch of fress lemon or lime. Remove about quarter of the skin all the way around or rub skin against clean hard surface. Put limes in whole in an empty glass jar, fill it up with salt, and close the lid. Softer lime skin will help absorbe the salt. Keep the jar for a week or more. Your pickle is now ready to serve!

A few words on Chili...

Most bottled Nepalese / Asian pickles have chill in them. Chili adds to the pickle's sensation. Add a little chili fresh green or dry-powdered in your pickle. Chili helps fight pain, temporarily increases the metabolism and eases nasal congestion. It can also discourage blood clots and stimulate the circulation. It can be a digestive aid and have anti-inflammatory effects. However, too much Chili can burn your mouth and stomach, so it is not wise to eat too much of it, as constant irritation of the stomach may increase your risk of developing stomach cancer. Eat it wisely. Green Chili is better than dry-powdered chili as it has more Vitamin C content.

Did you know? : Pickles (Achar) have are excellent sources of beneficial bacteria and enzymes. As with bacteria and enzymes found in yogurt, they are known to support proper digestion, aid in nutrient absorption, and to contribute to healthy metabolic function. The bacteria serve an important antibiotic role as well, inhibiting growth of coliform bacteria and other harmful microbes in the intestinal system. Pickles help body assimilate proteins and iron, and stimulate cell metabolism.

Other Dishes - new style, new flavor, new tune

Steamed or fried vegetable and meat dumplings popularly known as Momo in Nepali, constitutes about 80% of the total lunch and snacks served in Kathmandu! Hop into any small to big restaurants in Nepal, you will find Momo as the first hot selling item on the menu. This momo is famous in city areas where chicken and buffalo meat are cheap and available at large. Buy ready made dumplings from supermarket and taste them today, or to prepare yourself at home visit the web links below. Momo goes well with a side dish of a Tomato achar!

source:http://www.nepalvista.com/travel/food1.html

momo

recipe of alu tama

Recipe of Aloo Tama

Ingredient Name

Unit

Quantity

garlic, chopped

clove

5-6

onion diced

cup

1/2

salt

to taste

tomatoes, coarsely chopped

number

2

turmeric

tbsp

1-2

black eyed peas (soaked overnight)

cup

1

chopped fresh coriander for garnish

tbsp

2

diced potatoes

cup

1

ground coriander

tbsp

1

ground cumin

tbsp

1

oil or ghee

tbsp

2

tama (rince with fresh water before cooking)

cup

1

whole cumin seeds

tbsp

1

Directions | How to make Aloo Tama

Heat the oil and fry the cumin seed until fragrant then add the onion and garlic and sauté gently for a few minutes - add the ground spices and fry well. Add the salt, tomatoes, tama, potatoes and the black eyed peas and add enough water to give it the consistency of soup. Cook in a pressure cooker for 20-30 min. or until the black-eyed peas are cooked. Adjust the seasonings and cook for 10 more minutes uncovered until it has reached the right consistency. Grnish with a generous sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander. Serve with plain rice. Enjoy source: http://www.vahrehvah.com/Aloo+Tama:702

nepali food

It is hard to imagine such a tiny nation in the foot-hills of the Himalayas possese a huge category of tasty and balanced dishes. The legitimate Nepali Meal is unexplored to most of the world except for certain neighbouring countries and the many foreign travellers who have travelled the country. The genuine menu of Nepal includes of different naturally home grown vegetables and plants which are healthy and piquant when combined into a dish.
Nepal is a meat eating nation and Nepali Food consists of a huge number of non-veg meal too. Each morning a large number of goat, chicken, fish, lamb, boar and ducks are butchered for eating purpose in different areas of the nation. Nepal is a country filled with forests and mountains which entices a huge number of mountaineers for many exterior activities. The Nepali cuisine served in the restaurants and hotels may not have the authentic taste which only can be felt in the traditional homes.
Culturally Nepal has many castes and tribes among which almost seventy percent of the people are meat lovers. Most of the nation relying on agriculture poor & economically weak cannot afford the rich delicacies we are talking about, though their everyday food consists of health-based naturally cultivated cereals and veggies. The Truthful food savor comes from the several meat and vegetable recipes prepared in affulent and royal houses. The cuisine of the local villagers are healthful and high in calorie yet lacks the very tasty part as they cannot buy the rich herbs which are necessary for the Natural food Nepalese taste.
The major intention of this article is to present the different Nepalese food with the Authentic taste. No dish can be noted without persons eating them and Nepali Food has not been presented properly to the thousands of connossieurs in the globe. The necessary organic herbs and other elements required are all readily accessible in the foreign marketplace and preparing these cuisine at home is simple if you have the proper method. Easy to prepare, healthy for the body add spectacular in taste; Nepali cuisine once eaten will be embedded into the taste bud for a long time.
It is in fact sad that the many of the hotels in the capital city Kathmandu and other main cities do not serve authentic Nepali Food, in particular to the millions of tourists who visit every year. This is due to the wrong concept that the continental, Chinese, Tibetan and Indian cuisine, which is already known will fetch them good money. Likewise Nepalese, who want to be cooks, learn all the other internationally famous styles, so that it is easier to get a job, in the country and overseas. If Nepali Food is appropriately introduced and slowly gains popularity then these issues may become less.
If you go on the net and go through the various Nepalese menu with the True ingredients, you might explore something new and find a taste which you can have on and off, all through your life. The site nepali-food.com will present and help you make any of these delicious meal, right in your place. Author Resource:- If you want to get acquainted more about Nepali food,Going through Nepali Food will be advantageous. There are many healthy food menus for food lovers and khasi ko Masu ko ledo(Mutton curry) is one of the best non veg dish you can cook at your place.
source: http://article2008.com/Art/438463/253/Nepali-Food-the-Authentic-taste-of-the-Hilly-Nation.html

newar food

31
May 11

Gwarmari, I love Gwarmari..

Gwarmari is one of my favorite breakfast but now  a days it is hard to get a nice good Gwarmari. We have shifted from Wotu to Gaushala.  Here in Gaushala I know one in Chaibail near Ganesha Temple. It is also nice. The other one is  near Vedasingh in Kathmandu…

1 — Comments Off
30
Apr 10

Dhaubahi A Ceremony for the Pregnant Women

Dhaubahi (Curd with Beaten Rice); This particular ceremony is observed by the newar family for the Pregnant Women at the last month of delivery. After Baby  birth  the women avoid different spices food for breast feeding. On this day her husband will dine together with his wife.
I got this one time oppurtunity last year. It was nice.
Here you will see the picture from the Dhaubahi Ceremony.

Uncategorized — Comments Off
16
Jun 09

Cheese Pizza with Onion & Capsicum

 Cheese Pizza prepared by my Sister. She makes the Pizza on the pan without using Oven.
 She will post the Recipe of the Pizza soon.

Pizza was really delicious. It reminds me eating pizza in Milan.

Mixed Pizza:

Ingredient:

• Flour
• Chopped cheese
• Tomato
• Chopped Onion
• Mayonnaise
• Butter
• Salt, pepper

• First make Dow with flour
• Second make tomato puree(For making tomato puree first take pan and heat pan for 2-3 minute then add butter after that put chopped onion then add boil tomato then tomato puree will be ready.
• Third, add tomato puree in heated Dow, put some mayonnaise after putting some mayonnaise put chopped slice cheese all over the Dow.
• Fourthly, add some salt, pepper as you like.
• Then garnish the pizza with onion ,tomato, capsicorn
• Finally delicious mixed pizza will be ready…..

Recipe from Prajeena Shrestha

Uncategorized — Comments Off
25
May 09

Dwarika ‘s Hotel – A Heaven on Earth

The Dwarika’s Hotel, The first visit to the Dwarika Hotel with my wife Akritee for a drink leaves me a wonderful moment. The Second visit  with  Sachit and his family  from Cologne for a cup of  coffee impress me a lot. Everytime when I go there it leaves me a wondermoment. An entrace fee to enter the Hotel is acceptable eventhough it is free to enter the Hotel. .  This is the best Hotel in  the city with  a living tribute to Nepal’s Architectural and Cultural Heritage. There are different food Events going at the Dwarika’s Hotel.  Some pictures  of the food Events;

Friday Barbeque at Dwarika’s Hotel
I am  lucky to have this wonderful place only    15 minutes walk from my residence. I haven’t been to the Friday Barbeque yet. I am sure I will be go someday soon.
 Hope I will see you there on Friday. The story of  the Dwarika’s Hotel starts in 1952, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha (1925-1992) passionate to collect the old Doors and windows. As his collection grows, he have less space to store them. He decided to construct a building   in the old newar style of  Kathmandu, using the carved windows and doors that he collected. After constructing one after another building, it turns into the Dwarika’s Village Hotel.
Image:  The Dwarika’s Hotel CD Catalogue from the ITB Fair Berlin 2008

Image:  The Dwarika’s Hotel CD Catalogue from the ITB Fair Berlin 2008
Krishna Arpan, a typical newar food
Ram Palace by night
A wonderful view of the Ram Palace Hotel.
You can access more information about the
Hotel at www.dwarika.com.
The Philosophy of the late Dwarika Das Shrestha is supported by his  wife Mrs  Ambica Shrestha founder Chairman of the Dwarika’s Hotel.
The Dream of the Dwarika Das Shrestha
to recreate a 15th-17th century environment where tourist and Nepali alike would have a sensation of the original”.

Through the fulfillment of his dream would come the source and vehicle for distributing the gains of development into the different sectors of society and people.

Firstly, this was in the form of training                                               Image:  The Dwarika’s Hotel CD Catalogue from the                                                                                          ITB Fair Berlin 2008

and apprenticeships for craftsmen, which benefited both the craftsmen and the development of the hotel’s unique architecture. Then as time went on, Dwarika’s was in the enviable position of being able to contribute more to Nepali society and the world as a whole
source: http://newafood.blog.com/

nepali food for the new year

At Everest Café, celebrate the Year of the Iron Tiger with Himalayan specialities.

By Matthew Stafford

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• Melissa Barnes
• The Mixed Tandoor is terrific.

 

 

Everest Café

Sample Menu

1645 Solano Ave., Berkeley.
510-526-4915 or Everest-Cafe.com
Cash, all major credit cards.
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sun. 1-9:30 p.m.
Reservations accepted.
Noise level: low.
Samosa Chaat ... $4
Chicken Thukpa ... $7
Mixed Tandoor ... $16
Goat Curry ... $12
Okra and Onions ... $9
Mango Lassi ... $3

With Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year and Carnaval and Mardi Gras all converging within the same few days of the mid-February calendar, it's no surprise that Losar, Himalayan New Year, can get lost in the shuffle. Pink champagne, firecrackers, samba dancers, and laissez les bon temps roulez are all well and good, but shouldn't we celebrate the Year of the Iron Tiger, too? Of course we should, and if you don't happen to be a devout Hindu (or even if you are), the most festive way to cut loose is by wrapping your lips around some momo, thukpa, and other glories of the Nepali table.
That's where Berkeley's Everest Café comes in. Named for the tallest peak in Nepal — and, as a matter of fact, the world — the restaurant celebrates the cuisines of the old country and its neighbors, India and, to a lesser extent, China. Chef/owner Khagendra Dhungel opened the place in December, but his years of experience preparing the dishes of his native kitchen are evident in the food's tongue-tingling vitality, rich textures, and beautifully balanced flavors. The setting is as soothing and salubrious as the house cuisine: a cozy, friendly dining room decorated simply with flowers, wicker, teapots, and tapestries.
A fine way to kick off your New Year's celebration (beginning February 14, by the way) is with a platter of momo, the savory, steamed dumplings that are to Nepal what pelmeni is to Russia and manti is to northern China. Everest's crescent-shaped momo wrap tender, delicate casings around robust fillings of minced spinach, cabbage, cilantro, scallions, cashews, and mushrooms; the result was a mouth-filling treat that was even better with a spoonful of the accompanying brick-red tomato chutney. Or opt for pakoda, a light, crispy variation of Indian pakora with a minimum of grease and lots of actual vegetable content among the spiced butter and deep-fried coating. The papad (crisp wafers of peppery lentil flour) were nothing special, but another North Indian dish, samosa chaat, was irresistible. In the old country, chaat is another word for "snack plate," and here, several deep-fried, potato-filled samosas were mashed together and draped with yogurt, chutney, chickpeas, tomato, and cilantro: a rich, spicy platter of comfort food not unlike a subcontinental tamale pie.
Daal — puréed lentils — is Nepal's staple food, but Everest's daal soup was on the bland side despite its whispers of onion and cumin. A more effective response to the midwinter blues is a big bowl of thukpa, the sherpa's traditional festive fare during the celebration of Losar. Spicy, invigorating, and brimming with thick noodles, marinated chicken filets, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and cilantro, it's as hearty and comforting on a cold, drizzly night as the great chicken-noodle soups of legend.
Among the tarkari (vegetable curry) dishes on the menu is bhindi ko tarkari, a sweet, earthy stew of onions, peppers, tomatoes, and lots of crisp, cumin-laced okra that was so tasty and slimeless it gives the vegetable a good name. Another terrific entrée is the mixed tandoor, which arrives at the table in a dramatic cloud of steam. Marinated and baked in a clay oven aglow with hot coals, the platter's chicken, lamb, and jumbo prawns were smoky, juicy, and perfectly tender, served on a colorful and thoroughly edible bed of red onion, purple cabbage, green pepper, broccoli flowerets, and shredded carrots. The Everest Biryani Special also takes the inclusive approach to mealtime, combining succulent chunks of lamb, chicken, and prawn with currants, cashews, carrots, cauliflower, lots of al dente basmati rice, and a bazaar's worth of spices. Khukura Ko Masu Ra Chiyau (chicken with mushrooms) is a much simpler dish, but the tenderness of the meat, the sweetness of the mushrooms, and the subtlety of the spicing was a pleasant contrast to the fireworks of the other entrées.

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The evening's simplest dish was goat curry, nothing but stewed meat with a hint of gaminess; the creamy, luscious texture of a good lamb shank; and a warm, spicy afterglow. To cushion all these rich and spicy flavors there's a raita studded with carrots and scallions; a delicate, rather flavorless crepe-like bread called babar; and six varieties of naan, the pillowy Indian flatbread, fresh from the tandoor oven. One was layered with melted cheese, another with mashed potatoes, green onion and cumin seeds; both were irresistible, especially with a dollop of the chunky, slightly lemony house mango chutney on top.
After all that sparkle and spice it's nice to balm the taste buds with a cool, soothing dessert, but Everest's meal-closers are entirely too pacifying. The house kheer (rice pudding) was watery and bland, with a squeeze of lemon and a lone cardamom pod providing only the barest hints of flavor. Gulab jamun, India's syrup-drenched, deep-fried milk-powder balls, offered a bit of texture and not much else. Another Indian specialty, ras malai, was initially intriguing — thick chunks of tart paneer (farmer's cheese) served in a thick, sweet milk sauce — but the end result was chalky and unexciting.
Vegetarians will find plenty of tasty options on Everest's menu: More than one-third of the restaurant's appetizers and entrées are meat-free. Start with the momo, samosa, pakoda or papad, a green salad, or a bowl of vegetable soup. Chow mein, biryani, and thukpa are available in vegetarian-friendly renditions. Among the entrées are tarkaris made with eggplant, okra, and vegetables of the season; tikka masalas of spinach and tofu; vegetable stews; a classic saag paneer; and wide-ranging preparations of potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peas, lentils, garbanzos, and mushrooms. To complement these are six varieties of naan bread as well as raita, pickles, and chutney.
Beverages include three of those pallid Indian lagers that go so well with spicy foods, plus a handful of wines and a few intriguing Tibetan beers. Two nonalcoholic drinks were especially tasty: a tall, cool glass of mango lassi, thick and creamy as a milkshake but not too sweet, and a hot, frothy Nepali chai with plenty of punch and a nicely balanced array of spices. Between them they pair perfectly with Everest's lush, invigorating, and absolutely celebratory cuisine.
source: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/nepali-food-for-the-new-year/Content?oid=1600138

nepali food and receipes

Daal (Lentils) - the creamy protein delight

Boil 1 cup lentils of any variety in water until cooked. Add turmeric, salt, ginger and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a serving spoon, add chopped garlic pieces, and if you like, add minced onions. When they turn brown in color, plunge the spoon into the lentils dish cautiously to bring about killer aroma!

Bhaat (Rice) - the king of grains

Rinse rice in water to get rid of excess starch. For every cup of rice, add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring the rice to boil, uncovered, at medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stir the rice in between, then turn the heat down to low. Place the lid on the pot, keeping it tight, cook for another five minutes. Simmer for another 10 minutes and serve. Make sure to taste Bhat of various types!!

Basmati: Basmati is the most famous aromatic rice mainly grown in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, India and Pakistan. Rice has a nutlike fragrance, and a delicate. It has near buttery flavor. The cooked grains are dry and fluffy, so they make a nice bed for curries and sauces, oh yes... for Nepali Tarkari! Aged basmati rice is better, but is more expensive.

Jasmine: This is a raditional long-grain white rice grown mainly in Thailand which has a soft texture. It has similar flavor that of basmati rice. Jasmine rice is also grown in the United States and in other countries. Rice is is available in both white or brown forms.

Arborio: Arborio is a starchy white rice, with an almost round grain, grown mainly in the Po Valley of Italy. Traditionally used for cooking the Italian dish risotto, it also works well for paella and rice pudding. Arborio absorbs up to five times its weight in liquid as it cooks, which results in grains of a creamy consistency.

Aromatic rices: These are primarily long-grain varieties that have a toasty, nutty fragrance and a flavor reminiscent of popcorn or roasted nuts. Most of these can be found in grocery stores, but a few may be available only at gourmet shops.

Glutinous rice (sweet rice): Popular in Japan and other Asian countries, this type of short-grain rice is not related to other short-grain rices. Unlike regular table rice, this starchy grain is very sticky and resilient, and turns translucent when cooked. Its cohesive quality makes it suitable for rice dumplings and cakes, such as the Japanese mochi, which is molded into a shape.

Texmati: Certain types of rice--some sold only under a trade name--have been developed in the United States to approximate the flavor and texture of basmati rice. Texmati is one of these; it was developed to withstand the hot Texas climate (there is also a brown rice version).

Wehani: An American-grown aromatic rice, Wehani has an unusual rust-colored bran that makes it turn mahogany when cooked.

Wild pecan (popcorn rice): Another basmati hybrid, this aromatic rice is tan in color (because not all of the bran has been removed, with a pecanlike flavor and firm texture.


Did you know? In general, rice is a good source of B vitamins, such as thiamin and niacin, and also provides iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. Although rice is lower in protein than other cereal grains, its protein quality is good because it contains relatively high levels of the amino acid lysine. Avoid washing rice to retain water-soluable B vitamins. Also milled and polished rice contains less vitamins.

 source:http://www.nepalvista.com/travel/food.html

nepalese food introduction

The food of Nepal is as diverse as the country itself. The Nepalese recipes are quick to cook and good to eat. Nepalese food is famous for its nutrition level and tempting taste. Whilst Nepalese cuisine is somewhat basic, it certainly does not lack in flavor, making extensive use of spices and flavorings such as ginger, garlic, coriander, pepper, cumin, chilies, cilantro, mustard oil, ghee and occasionally yak butter. Come let us savour some of the famous dishes of Nepal.

Eating Habits
Main Meal
In most part of country, especially rice-growing areas, Dal Bhat (pulses and rice) is the staple food of Nepalese, that is eaten twice a day.

Snacking
Snacks such as bread, chura (beaten rice), roti (flat bread), curried vegetables, milked tea and other snacks are also generally eaten in between the two big meals.

Famous Nepalese Cuisine

Gundrook- Dheedo
Equally popular among Nepali people and foreign tourists, Gundrook-Dheedo is a sugar-free dish made of wheat, maize and dried green vegetable. The food is high on nutrition level and satisfies the taste buds as well.

Alu Tama
Aloo Tama (Alu Tama) simply means 'Potato Bamboo Shoots'. It is a unique and classic Nepali curry flavor dish. It is unique in the sense that it is unlike any other Indian or South Asian curry since they rarely use bamboo shoots. Similarly, unlike other East Asian cuisine such as Chinese that uses Bamboo shoots but do not use curry spices.

Vegetable Pulao (Fried Nepali Rice)
Vegetable Pulao is one of the popular ways rice is served during the parties and events in the Nepalese household. It has flavor of turmeric and cumin to it. The rice is particularly famous among tourists who prefer eating it with curd and Manchurian.

Masu
Masu is spiced or curried meat (usually chicken, mutton, buffalo or pork) with gravy. Served with rice, it is a main course dish, very popular in Nepal.

Vegetable Thukpa (Egg Noodles)
This is a seasonal dish. Tibetan Vegetable Thukpa is one of the main food. During Tibetan new year celebration 'Losar'the dish is a part of celebration and tradition for the Nepalese.

Chatamari
Regarded as Newari pizza, Chatamari is a flat bread made from rice flour with or without toppings (meat, vegetables, eggs, sugar). It is highly savoured by the tourists who consider it as a good and healthy substitute to pizza.

Drinks
Tongba
A special Limbu culture drink, Tongba is homemade wine. Fermented millet seeds are put in a wooden or plastic mug which is filled with hot water. One sips through a bamboo straw as more hot water is added which makes Tongba go down easily with greater impact and taste. Many consume this drink during winter season, and is also a favorite drink among the tourists.

Rakshi
Rakshi is a millet-based distilled alcoholic drink It is traditionally an important requirement at a lot of religious rituals and social events, perhaps because it is not only an alcoholic drink but also because of its antiseptic qualities. It is a strong drink, and is often brewed at home.

Apart from its traditional food the country offers a wide range of Chinese and Japanese fast foods like momos and macaroni. There are many food outlets in the city which provide the traveler with excellent cooking. The food in Nepal is delicious and is available at a very reasonable price to the tourist so that they could fully enjoy the mouth watering traditional recipes of the region.

http://nepal.saarctourism.org/nepal-food.html