Introduction Food and Drink Nepal

Food

The cuisines of Nepal vary with the cultural and geographical diversity of Nepal which is also based on ethnicity, soil and climate. However dal-bhat-tarkari is eaten throughout the country. Dal is made of lentils and spices and served over boiled rice bhat with vegetable curry tarkari and typical condiments -bchutney or achaar. Dal BhatTarkari may be served with other accompaniments like sliced lemon (kagati) or lime (nibua) and fresh chili peppers, khursani.People in Hilly region subsist on either dal bhat or a thick paste called dhindo. The similar dish is called Tsampa in the northern regions which is made from roasted and ground barley. The high-altitude people like Sherpa and other often mix tsampa with buttered and salted Tibetan tea. Another high-altitude specialty is shakpa, a stew of vegetables, bits of meat and dumplings.

Roti or Chappati (unleavened bread) is another frequent addition to a meal and is often substituted for rice. Of other items that may supplement a meal, the most usual is a curry made from potatoes or whatever vegetables are in season. Restaurant of main tourist hubs and major cities can provide almost all kinds of international food you like, and also on the main treks you often can get italian or mexican dishes.

Other popular foods of Nepal are hybrid of Chinese/Tibetian and Nepali foods like momo, Chowmin. Some foods like Sel roti, Patre, Dahi-chiura (mixed curd and beaten rice) with pickles and vegetables, yumori, sweets, Tas and Sekuwa like varieties from meat are prepared during special occasions and festivals.

Drink

Drinking Tap water while on trek is not safer. You can have purified it yourself or use bottled mineral water that is easily available in the lodges or teahouses along the treks. Sometimes during the trek it is cheaper way to get safe drinking water by buying boiled water.

You can consume lots of tea or hot lemon for adequate drinks. Traditionally, tea is served with milk and pre-sweetened with sugar in almost all parts of Nepal. It depends on your choice to get pure Black tea or Ginger tea.

Beer is available in several local brands like Star, Golden Tiger, Iceberg and Gold that come in 650ml bottles. Tuborg, Carlsberg, San Miguel, Kingfisher, Guinness and Shinga also brew in Nepal and distribute in cans if you want to carry beer on your trek. Besides this local alcohol Raksi to internation products of hard drinks can be purchased in Nepal.

Nepal has all the international brands of soft drinks. All are made in Nepal and distributed in bottels, not cans. In the towns you often can get Lassi, a traditional North Indian beverage made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Sweet lassi is a more recent invention, flavored with sugar, rosewater and/or lemon, mango, strawberry or other fruit juice.