CUISINE OF THE WORLD
If you love good food, you have come to the right place. Kathmandu has been a destination for lovers of tasty nourishment from the early days of tourism in Nepal – when long-haired globetrotters came in search of peace and love, and found nirvana in the tantalizing aromas of its backstreet eateries.
Kathmandu’s restaurants have grown tremendously in class and cuisine since then. The city boasts deluxe establishments with world standards of hygiene and service. And you can choose from a terrific array of gourmet menus – Indian, Chinese, Italian, Continental, Japanese, Thai… Restaurants here specialize in providing authentic dishes, and many even import the chefs along with the ingredients.
Besides the restaurants of varied international flavors, there are ethnic Nepalese eating places where you can partake in the experience of esoteric taste sensations. Nepalese food reflects the Kingdom’s cultural diversity, and staples vary from boiled rice to chapati to mush.
Dal-bhat-tarkari (boiled rice, lentil soup and vegetable curry) is the popular diet in Kathmandu and many parts of the country. Rice is served in generous proportions. Lentils come in many varieties – black, green, yellow and red. Vegetable curry is flavored with cumin, fenugreek, coriander, turmeric and other spices. Meat is eaten widely – chicken, buff (water buffalo), pork, mutton (goat) and fish.
Kukhura-ko sekuwa (marinated and roasted chicken cubes), khasi-ko masu (goat meat garnished with aromatic herbs and spices), and machha tareko (fresh fish cooked in herbs) are some hot favorites. A pickle known as achar accompanies the meal. It is usually made out of ground tomatoes or diced radishes, and is seasoned with garlic, chili and spices. Gundruk (dried and fermented vegetable greens) is equally popular.
The sumptuous culinary tradition of the Kathmandu Valley offers a feast of mouth-watering dishes. Newari festival foods include wo (lentil cake), sanya khuna (a fiery jellied fish soup), chatan-mari (rice pancake) and haku chhoyla (roasted meat diced and spiced).
The Newari menu is partial to variety meats. Khaagwa (boiled, diced and fried tripe), jhuku (boiled, diced and fried chitterlings) and syenla-mu (liver paste) are special treats – as are tongue, brain, lung, marrow, manyplies and skin. Yogurt and fruits are served for dessert. Bon appetit!