Dal Bhat Power, 24 Hour!

This saying, which you hear everywhere in Nepal and read on T-shirts, perfectly sums up Nepalese food culture: Dal Bhat (rice with lentil soup) is not only the national dish — it is the foundation of Nepalese life. Nepali people eat it twice a day (around 10 AM and 7 PM), and only when Dal Bhat is eaten is the meal considered a meal. The phrase "Bhaat khaayau?" (Have you eaten rice?) is the Nepalese version of "How are you?".

Dal Bhat — In Detail

A complete Dal Bhat Set consists of:

• Bhat (भात): Steamed white rice — the base. Sometimes replaced with millet or corn in the mountains
• Dal (दाल): Lentil soup, from thin to thick consistency. Usually yellow lentils (Masoor), sometimes black (Kalo Dal/Maas). Seasoned with turmeric, cumin, garlic, and ginger
• Tarkari (तरकारी): Vegetable curry — varies seasonally: potatoes, cauliflower, spinach, green beans, pumpkin
• Achar (अचार): Pickles/Chutney — from mild to fiery, made from tomatoes, radish, chili, or fruits. The Achar often makes the difference between good and great Dal Bhat!
• Papad/Papadam: Fried lentil bread — crispy and seasoned
• Masu (मासु): Optional: Meat curry (chicken, goat, or buffalo/buff). Costs an additional 100–200 NPR
• Gundruk (गुन्द्रुक): Fermented leafy greens — uniquely Nepalese, with a tangy-savory taste. Eaten especially in winter as a vitamin source
• Tama (तामा): Fermented bamboo shoots — a typical side dish, especially in the hill region

The best thing about Dal Bhat: Refills are ALWAYS included! You can have as many refills as you want — rice, Dal, Tarkari, everything. On the trek, Dal Bhat is the perfect energy source: long-chain carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and the spices aid digestion at altitude.

Momos — Nepal's No. 1 Addiction

Steamed (or fried) dumplings, filled with buffalo meat (Buff), chicken, pork, or vegetables, served with a fiery tomato-sesame sauce (Jhol Achar). There are Momo restaurants on every street corner. The different types of Momos:

• Steam Momo: The classic — steamed, juicy, tender
• Fried Momo (Kothey): Crispy on one side, steamed on the other — the best variant for many!
• Jhol Momo: Served in a spicy soup/sauce — perfect in cold weather
• C-Momo: Baked with chili sauce — a newer creation, extremely popular with Nepal's youth
• Tandoori Momo: Baked in a tandoor oven — smoky, crispy, a taste experience
• Open Momo: Half-open dumplings, like small boats

Prices: 10 pieces of Buff Momo on the street from 80–150 NPR (0.50–1€), in restaurants 200–500 NPR (1.30–3.30€).

Newari Cuisine — The Culinary Jewel of Nepal

The Newar, the indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley, have their own extremely refined cuisine, which is among the best and most complex in South Asia. A Newari Bhoye (feast) is a culinary experience you will never forget:

• Newari Set Meal / Samay Baji: A plate with up to 15–20 different small dishes — traditionally served on a leaf plate: fried meat (Choyla), black lentils, fried soybeans (Bhatamas), beaten rice (Chiura), potato pancakes (Bara), pickled vegetables, egg, fish, ginger sides. Accompanied by Aila (rice liquor) or Thwon (rice beer). A feast for all the senses
• Choyla (छोइला): Grilled, seasoned buffalo meat — marinated with Szechuan pepper, ginger, garlic, and mustard oil. THE most popular Newari snack dish, perfect with beer or Aila
• Chatamari (चतामरी): "Nepalese Pizza" — a rice flour crêpe with minced meat, egg, vegetables, and spices. Crispy on the edges, juicy in the center
• Bara / Wo (वो): Black lentil crêpes, crispy fried. With egg (Anda Bara) or plain
• Yomari (योमरी): Steamed rice flour dumplings in fish shape with a sweet filling of Chaku (molasses sugar) and sesame or Khuwa (condensed milk). A delicacy traditionally prepared only during the Yomari Festival (December), but available year-round in good Newari restaurants
• Juju Dhau (जुजु धौ): "King of Yogurts" from Bhaktapur — creamy, slightly sweet, served in clay pots that give the yogurt its unique earthy flavor. Available ONLY in Bhaktapur

Other Nepalese Specialties

• Sel Roti (सेल रोटी): Fried rice bread in ring shape — crispy, slightly sweet, perfect with tea. Especially made during Dashain and Tihar, but also available year-round at street stalls
• Thukpa: Tibetan noodle soup with vegetables or meat — THE trekking food when it's cold. Hot, nutritious, comforting
• Sekuwa (सेकुवा): Grilled meat on a skewer — Nepal's BBQ. Especially popular with goat meat (Khasi ko Masu), seasoned with Szechuan pepper and mustard oil
• Dhido (ढिंडो): Porridge made from corn or millet flour — the traditional staple of the mountain population before rice became common. Eaten with Dal and vegetables. An acquired taste, but authentic
• Chatpate: Nepal's most popular street snack — a spicy mix of puffed rice, noodles, tomato sauce, chili, onions, and lime juice. Served in newspaper cones
• Samosa: Fried triangles with potato-pea filling — like in India, but often spicier

Beverages

• Masala Chai (मसला चिया): Nepal's national drink: tea with milk, sugar, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and sometimes cloves — available on every street corner for 15–30 NPR. The chai ritual is an institution: morning, afternoon, after meals, during negotiations — there's always chai. In many homes and shops, you are offered a glass unsolicited as a guest. The best chai is found at small street stalls, not in restaurants
• Tongba (टोंगबा): Hot millet beer, drunk through a bamboo straw from a wooden vessel. The fermented millet grains are poured over with hot water, and you drink through the straw while the pot is repeatedly refilled. Warms from the inside, slightly alcoholic (3–5%), a unique experience! Popular with the Rai and Limbu in eastern Nepal and at high altitudes
• Raksi (रक्सी): Nepalese rice liquor — clear, strong (30–40%), often homemade. Served at festivals, celebrations, and as a welcome drink. The taste varies from mild and fruity to "burns down the esophagus" — depending on the distiller. Known as "Aila" in Newari restaurants
• Everest Beer / Nepal Ice / Gorkha: Nepal's most popular beer brands. Solid lagers, best enjoyed on a rooftop with mountain views. 650ml bottle: 300–600 NPR (2–4€). "Everest Strong" (7%) is for the brave
• Lassi: Yogurt drink, sweet or salty — perfect refreshment. Best freshly made from street stalls
• Butter Tea (Po Cha): Tibetan national drink — salted tea with yak butter. An acquired taste for Western palates (salty-fatty instead of sweet), but an important source of calories and fat at altitude. Available in Boudhanath and on treks in Sherpa areas