Tag: Timmur

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POKHARA FOOD TOUR

 

With all its scenic beauty, Pokhara is one of the most enchanting valleys in Nepal. The green hills, lakes, forests, rivers, waterfalls, terraced fields etc are like a balm for the weary soul. Popularly known as “City of Tourism”, it city is quite free from any kind of pollution. Tourists flock here to enjoy its natural beauty and also to take part in adventure sports that this place is famous for too. So during our Nepal Food Tour, we were here to explore the culinary side of this postcard perfect place. And in this exploration we were joined by our host Kamal Bhatta who has explored this place well. Our gastronomic journey started with a pleasant stroll around the cobbled and beatified pathways around the Phewa lake. Here you will find quite a few hawkers selling fresh food items mostly breads , pastries etc in wicker baskets. We bought a cinnamon roll and croissant from an old lady and a young man respectively. They were quite decent in taste and fresh as well.

From there we went to visit the Gupteswar Mahadev Temple and Davi’s Fall. This famous cave has many shrines, the most important of which is the temple of Lord shiva. Within 2-3 km of Davi’s Fall there are many eateries, few of which are very popular. So we went to Mt. Kailash Tibetan Restaurant for some yummy and authentic Tibetan style momo and shabaley. Everything that we tried at this small eatery was quite impressive. Next we went to another Tibetan restaurant run by a Nepali lady who has lived in Punjab. There we ordered some Bhaklep(Tibetan bread), curry and Po Cha(salty butter tea). The naan like, griddle baked flat bread along with a simple curry made of potatoes, ridge gourd and chicken was quite a hearty combination.

 

We then went to the Lakeside part of Phewa lake that is known for swanky restaurants and hangout spots. The Duna Tapari restaurant here specializes in an awesome fish based menu. Fish lovers from far and near come here for traditional fish based delicacies made from the fresh catch sourced from the lake. We ordered Bitte tareko, Hans Choila, Paphar ko roti, polecko machha, machha jhol, machha surawa and few other things. Fresh ingredients and right use of condiments and masalas everything tasted brilliant. After some recreational activities nearby, as evening approached we got hungry and went to have the Traditional Thenkthuk from Sherpa Kitchen. This pretty restaurant is run by a Sherpa family. We saw how the simple yet comforting soup was prepared using common ingredients. But it was the seasoning of the very versatile local pepper called Timmur that enhanced its flavours.

 

Our last stop for the day was a popular restaurant named Fewa Thakali Bhanchha. As the name suggests it was all about Thakali cuisine. We ordered the Cheli set. The term refers to aunt so it is a platter dedicated to the lovely ladies in our life. There were nearly 12 things in the platter including starter, main course and beverage. The most impressive components of this set were steamed Jetha Budho rice, Mustang simi beans dal, Aloo tareko, Aloo dhameko, Fish fry, Mutton fry and chutneys. It was indeed a super gratifying meal. Everything was balanced and flavourful especially the Jetha Budo rice which is like the Basmati Rice of Nepal.

We are grateful to Kamal for this interesting food tour set amidst the natural grandeur of this place. Till next time keep walking and keep exploring. And for all the food related details check the video linked above.

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NEWARI AND OTHER ETHNIC CUISINE IN NEPAL

Taking ahead our food escapades in Nepal, in this episode we are exploring some authentic ethnic recipes from the cities of Kirtipur and Lalitpur. Along with our gracious and genial host Sanam Chitrakar, we visited two very special eateries that specialises in traditional food from different parts of Nepal. This gastronomic journey includes a scrumptious experience from Newa Lahana in Kirtipur and Raithaane in Lalitpur(Patan). Kirtipur is an ancient city teeming with history, heritage, rich culture and hospitality, stunning landscape views and several monuments. We started with Kirtipur. Situated at the distance of 5km south-west from the Kathmandu, it is a center of Newar culture.

 

 

Here, Newa Lahana is a community run restaurant and open museum working towards the promotion and conservation of the Newar culture. With fully traditional setting, arrangements and menu, it is a flag bearer in presenting authentic Newari cuisine to the world. As we entered the kitchen, we were greeted by a jolly, dexterous and busy team of local womenfolk dressed in their traditional Haku Patasi. The menu here was quite extensive. We ordered Chatamari (rice pancakes with meat and egg), Samay Bhaji(Snacks Platter), Wo(lentil pancake), Chusya Mushya(grain based snacks platter), Shyapu Mhicha(bone marrow stuffed buffalo tripe) , Yomari(steamed rice cakes with jaggery filling) along with some native rice based liquor. The home style food was fresh and super flavourful.

 

The variety flavours and textures was simply impressive. There is so much dynamism in the cuisine that leaves you gratified. Our ultimate favourite of the lot was the toothsome Yomari. The jaggery oozing out into mouth from the steamed rice cakes transports you to a blissful zone where its just you and this popular (revered) dessert. But the liquor made from fermented rice was strong and sharp for our palette.

From there we went to Lalitpur(Patan) to another special restaurant named Raithaane. Founded by three passionate young men, it intends to introduce the world to the traditional ingredients and components of the ethnic Nepalese cuisines through its super fascinating menu. It is like the amalgamation of the under appreciated and under rated aspects- be it ingredients or cooking techniques-of Nepal’s food traditions. Here we were joined by Prasantha Khanal, a co founder of the place who briefed us about the lesser known dishes and ingredients from different parts of Nepal. On his recommendation, we tried some very unusual dishes. So there were Rikikur(savoury potato pancakes), Kanchemba(buckwheat fries) and Chamre Fakse( aromatic rice with pork and wild lichen dish). Prasantha patiently familiarized us with the details of the dishes. The taste and flavours were very unique and unprecedented. Our favourite was the kanchambe with Timmur Chop(dried spice mix made with a local chilli). The experience at Raithaane was gratifying and insightful. We are grateful to Sanam for taking us around to such amazing places, to the amazing team at Newa Lahana and Raithaane for such amazing food and great hospitality and to Prasantha for all the insights. Till next time keep walking and Keep exploring.

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