While traveling, I always wonder about the local food I'm going to eat. Sometimes I get so excited about a dish, imagining what it will taste like and look like, that the dish falls short of my expectations. In this respect, Nepal was different. I was so focused on what I was going to see: the Himalayas, that I didn't follow my usual ritual of reading about, picking out, and anticipating local foods. Since I didn’t know much, or anything at all about Nepali food, I was going to be in for a welcomed adventure.
But, I wasn't ignorant for long. I quickly found out about Nepal’s national dish from a t-shirt. It read: "Daal Baht 24 Hour Power." Daal is a lentil curry soup I tried in India. The Nepali daal baht, I would later became familiar with while trekking, because it was the only food that could fill me up after a long day of hiking! To better understand and appreciate Nepal, I treated myself to some traditional food and, it did not disappoint. Here are some photos and descriptions.
But, I wasn't ignorant for long. I quickly found out about Nepal’s national dish from a t-shirt. It read: "Daal Baht 24 Hour Power." Daal is a lentil curry soup I tried in India. The Nepali daal baht, I would later became familiar with while trekking, because it was the only food that could fill me up after a long day of hiking! To better understand and appreciate Nepal, I treated myself to some traditional food and, it did not disappoint. Here are some photos and descriptions.
These dumplings really come from Tibet, but with such a large Tibetan population in Nepal these delicious bundles have been adopted. These ones were filled with minced lamb, onion and garlic, and served with a tangy chili sauce.
Chickpea Soup
The soup’s texture was nice but I wanted a salt shaker on the table to add some flavour to this bland but creamy starter.
Starting from the bottom: black lentil curry, to the left were stir fried greens, next was mutton curry, beside it was roasted wild boar, and, finally, roasted chicken. I tucked into my thali and started with the lentils. Despite the dark colour, this dish didn’t have a strong flavour; it tasted grainy and salty. The crispy stir-fried greens had a bitter taste that was offset by a sweet sauce.The mutton curry, my favourite, was delicious. Succulent sweet-gamy chunks of lamb were enhanced by a mild curry sauce. The roasted boar had a garlicky flavour but was a bit dry. Earthy flavours of curry, nutmeg, and cinnamon flavoured the juicy roasted chicken. The best part about this thali, and all thalis for that matter, is we got seconds of all our favourites!
Dessert
This was one of my favourite desserts in Asia. It was a plain yogurt flavoured with cinnamon, saffron and nutmeg. Nuts and raisins gave it some more flavour and texture.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss when given some of the food choices while traveling. But in this case my lack of food knowledge allowed me to enjoy Nepali food more. The foods tasted better without my own unhindered expectations.
When you're traveling, have a food adventure. Tuck into a food stall where the locals eat, or try a kind of cuisine you know nothing about! You and your taste buds could be in for a pleasant surprise!
Sometimes ignorance is bliss when given some of the food choices while traveling. But in this case my lack of food knowledge allowed me to enjoy Nepali food more. The foods tasted better without my own unhindered expectations.
When you're traveling, have a food adventure. Tuck into a food stall where the locals eat, or try a kind of cuisine you know nothing about! You and your taste buds could be in for a pleasant surprise!
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