Dal bhat, a staple of Nepalese diet, is a combination of rice (bhat) and lentil soup (dal) served with a variety of side dishes. Depending on the type of lentils used, the dal can be either yellow or black in color, whereas barley, maize, buckwheat, and unleavened bread roti are often used as a substitute for rice.
Most common side dishes include a vegetable curry called tarkari, spicy chutneys, a crisp flatbread called papadamu, South Asian achaar pickles, stir-fried greens, and slices of tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.