Nepali food, explained
New to Nepali food, or just want to know what to order next? Here are the cuisines and dishes worth knowing, and the kitchens across Australia doing each one well. Start with momo, then keep going.
Momo, obviously
Nepal's dumplings and the reason half of us are on this site. A thin wrapper, a juicy filling, and a tomato achaar that does the heavy lifting. Every Nepali kitchen in the country makes them and no two plates taste the same, which is exactly why you keep ordering. Six ways to eat them, all worth your time.
Find the best momoSteamed momo
The honest test of a momo house: silky skins, juicy filling, achaar on the side.
Jhol momo
Momo swimming in a warm sesame and tomato soup. The one people fall hardest for.
C-momo
Fried momo tossed in a sticky chilli glaze. Momo for a night out.
Fried momo
Golden, crunchy edges, same juicy middle. Order when you want texture.
Kothey momo
Pan-fried: crisp base, steamed top. The potsticker of the Himalaya.
Sandheko momo
Momo tossed in a sharp, tangy dressing of chilli, timur and mustard oil.
The Newari table
The Kathmandu Valley has its own cuisine, and it is the one we push on everyone. Smoky, sour, generous with the mustard oil, and made to share over a long sitting. Bara and samay baji are waiting on the menus; choila is the way in.
See the Newari kitchensChoila
Smoky grilled meat with mustard oil and timur. Order it with beaten rice.
The Thakali set
If momo is the snack, the Thakali set is the meal. A darker black dal, gundruk, a row of pickles, and rice refills until you wave the kitchen away. The best value plate in Nepali food, and it is not close.
Find a Thakali set near youDal bhat
The meal Nepal runs on: dal, rice, curry and pickles, refilled until you tap out.
The Tibetan side
Nepal shares a border and half a menu with Tibet, and the overlap is where the warmers live. Thukpa for cold nights, laphing when you want cold noodles that bite back, and momo, always momo.
See the Tibetan kitchensThukpa
A big Himalayan noodle soup, built for cold nights.
From the grill
Nepali barbecue: meat marinated hard, charred over flame, eaten with beaten rice and something cold. Sekuwa is the headline act; sukuti and taas join the list as we eat our way through more menus.
Sekuwa
Lamb, chicken or pork on skewers. Order it wherever you see a proper grill.
Also good to know
Nepali food, frequently asked
What is Nepali food known for?
Momo dumplings first, but there is a lot more: dal bhat, smoky Newari choila, grilled sekuwa, fermented gundruk, and sweet sel roti. It leans on rice, lentils, greens and pickles, with heat you add yourself from the achaar.
Is Nepali food spicy?
It can be, but most of the heat lives in the achaar and pickles on the side, so you control it. Ask the kitchen for it mild if you want.
What is the difference between Nepali and Indian food?
They share spices and some dishes, but Nepali food is lighter and less oily, built around dal bhat and momo rather than heavy gravies. Many kitchens here do both, which we tag as Nepali-Indian.
Is Nepali food good for vegetarians?
Very. Veg momo, dal bhat, gundruk and paneer dishes are on nearly every menu. See the vegetarian spots.
What should I order on my first visit?
A plate of steamed momo to start, a Thakali dal bhat set for the full spread, and sel roti or sikarni to finish.