Nepalese Cooking
The cuisine of the Nepalese Cooking in the Himalayas is unique in flavour and variation. In combining the two great culinary traditions of the region, Indian and Tibetan, into a mainstream culinary culture of its own. There are many regional variations in Nepalese cuisine, but the main staple food consists of rice, wheat, corn, lentils, fresh vegetables and meats. A typical Nepali meal can be characterited by Dal (lentil soup), Bhat (steamed rice) and Tarkari (generic name for curry vegetables), or meat curry.
Further towards the north, we can see Tibetan influence, which are now spreading in the lower regions. Momo (stuffed vegetables or meat dumplings, fried or steamed), Thukpa (noodle soup with vegetable or meat), Thalumein soup (soup mixed with different meats and vegetables), and Syakpa( typical mountain stew), are some of the Tibetan flavours. Where as in the south, we find many varieties of curries, bread and rice dishes.
Traditionally, Nepalese eats with hand and do not use cutlery. But all the hotels and restaurants use cutleries to cater western visitors. The basic techniques for cooking Nepali food are currying, stir-frying, grilling, smoking, deep-frying, braising, marinating, tempering and steaming.
Nepali food is simple and subtle in flavour, which is prepared by using unique blend of common ingredients and spices. Ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, chillies, onions, cilantro, scallions and bay leafs. Himalayan spices Timur (Schewan pepper- used in pickles), and Jimbu (Himalayan herb-used in soup, dry or fresh), can only be found in the Himalayas. Dried meat (sukuti) and fermented vegetables (Gundruk) are preserved in the higher elevation due to harsh conditions.
