Momo dumplings were traditionally only filled with minced meat, but nowadays, the fillings have diversified to include vegetables, dairy, or a combination of both. They are native to Tibet and have been brought to the Kathmandu Valley by traveling Newar merchants, and thus Nepal, where they consider them as their own.
Thanks to Tibetan diaspora, momos are also today hugely popular in India. Momo dumplings are typically steamed, but they can also be fried. They are usually shaped either into purses or into half-moons (other shapes also exist). The best-known varieties include buff momos made with water buffalo meat, sha momos made with beef or yak meat, and khasi momos with lamb or mutton filling, while both jhol momos and C-momos come served in a spicy, hot sauce.
MOST ICONIC Momo
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MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chatamari is a Nepalese rice flour bread topped with eggs, cheese, meat, or vegetables, which is the reason why it is often called Nepali pizza. The dish is a specialty of the Newars living in the Kathmandu Valley. It can be served as an appetizer, a snack, or as the main dish.
Chatamari is especially popular during celebrations and similar festive occasions.
MOST ICONIC Chatamari
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Sekuwa is a Nepalese specialty dish consisting of grilled and skewered lamb, chicken, pork, or goat meat. Before grilling, the meat is combined with fresh herbs and spices. It is one of the most popular street food items in the country. The dish is typically served with baji (pounded rice) and achar (tomato pickle).
MOST ICONIC Sekuwa
Dhindo is a thick Nepalese porridge prepared by cooking ground millet or cornmeal flour. It is traditionally cooked in a taapke (cast-iron pan). The dish is mostly consumed in the mountainous regions where wheat and rice are difficult to grow.
The porridge is often paired with pickles, yogurt, curried vegetables, or homemade butter. It is recommended to consume it as soon as possible since it hardens as it cools.
MOST ICONIC Dhindo
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. Dal bhat is considered to be a typical vegetarian dish, although it can also be prepared with meat and fish.
MOST ICONIC Dal bhat
Gundruk is a popular Nepalese dish made by fermenting and drying several leafy vegetables such as rayo sag, mustard leaves, radish leaves, and cauliflower, in order to produce a sour product characterized by its dark brown color. It is a versatile food item that can be served both as an appetizer or a side dish, but it can also be made into a soup.
Due to the fact that it is a great source of minerals, gundruk is especially important in rural areas of the country where people mostly feed on maize and tubers.