Famous foods in Kathmandu: 10 must-try Nepali foods

Probably the most famous and loved food, dal-bhat-tarkari is the staple meal of Nepal. It basically comprises dal( lentil soup), bhat( rice), and tarkari( vegetables) along with some pickles to spice up your taste buds.

It’s traditionally a vegetarian dish but you might find it served with chicken or meat for non-vegetarian options.

Another extremely popular dish, momo is a must-try dish for everyone visiting Nepal.

It is basically steamed dumplings filled with minced meats( chicken, buffalo or, pork) or vegetables and served along with spicy tangy tomato chutney making it a wholesome snack.

Samay baji is an authentic traditional dish of the Newar community in Nepal, mostly served during auspicious occasions, get together and, festivals.

It generally consists of:

•  Baji (beaten rice) 
•  Haku Chhoyla (barbecued and marinated buffalo meat )
•  Sanya (smoked fish)
•  Wo (lentil pancake)
•  Mushya Wala (roasted soybean salad)
•  Khein (boiled egg)
•  Aalu Wala (boiled spicy potato salad)
•  Wauncha (stir-fried greens/spinach)
•  Bhuti (boiled black-eyed beans)
•  Lava-Palu (raw garlic-ginger) and served with Aaila (rice liquor) or Thwon (rice beer).

Sel roti is a traditional homemade sweet ring-shaped rice doughnut, mostly prepared during festivals like Dashain and Tihar. It is deep-fried to make it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. This crispy and sweet dish is the one you wouldn’t want to miss.

Pani puri is definitely one of the most common street foods, which has gained popularity among all age groups.

Pani puri is ball-shaped hollow puri, filled with a mixture of flavored water, boiled potato, onions, chickpeas, coriander, chilli along with other spices. The burst of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors is what makes people want it more.

A delicacy of the Newar community in Nepal, yomari is a sweet bun made out of steamed rice flour as an outer cover and filled with jaggery, roasted sesame seeds, and coconut on the inside.

Juju dhau is considered the finest yogurt available in Nepal. It literally translates to ‘King of Yogurt’ in the Newari language.

This creamy, flavorful, sweet, and rich yogurt is served in earthen clay pots and is definitely a must-try snack.

Choila is a typical Newari dish, that consists of spiced grilled buffalo meat. Mostly eaten with chiura( beaten rice), choila is typically very hot, spicy and mouth-watering. Although traditionally it was made with buffalo meat, nowadays chicken duck mutton is also being used.

It is a type of sweet of the Newars. It is primarily made from flour, sugar, and butter and is a sweet, crunchy, flaky bread. It comes in various shapes and sizes and is a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Chataamari, a kind of rice crepe is a traditional speciality of the Newars. Made from rice flour, it is available with various toppings- with onions and tomatoes for vegetarians and with minced meat ( chicken, buffalo meat ) for non-vegetarian options.