Language/Nepali-individual-language/Vocabulary/Food-in-Nepali
As a Nepali language teacher, I am excited to teach you about the delicious food in Nepal! Nepali cuisine combines flavors from India and Tibet, creating unique and tasty dishes. In this lesson, we will explore some of the different types of food you can find in Nepal.
Nepali Food
Nepal is known for its spicy and flavorful dishes, using a variety of herbs and spices. Below are some common types of Nepali food:
Rice and Breads
Nepal is a country where rice and bread are considered the main staples of every meal. Rice is often served with dal (lentil soup) and tarkari (vegetable curry), while bread is commonly eaten with Achar (pickle). Some popular breads in Nepal include:
- Roti - thin, flatbread
- Chapati - thicker flatbread
- Paratha - layered flatbread
- Naan - leavened bread
Curry and Vegetables
Curries and vegetables are a major staple of Nepali cuisine, often flavored with spices such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Some popular vegetable dishes include:
- Saag - spinach curry
- Aloo gobi - Potato and cauliflower curry
- Tareko tama - Bamboo shoot curry
- Chana masala - Chickpeas curry
Meat and Seafood
Meat-based dishes are popular in Nepali cuisine, including dishes such as:
- Chicken, goat, and mutton curries
- Sekuwa - grilled meat (chicken, mutton or buffalo)
- Choila - grilled marinated meat that is typically made from Water Buffalo, although other meats as well.
- Fish curry is also common in some parts of Nepal.
Snacks and Sweets
Nepal has a variety of snacks and sweets. Some popular Nepali snacks include:
- Momos - dumplings filled with meat or vegetables
- Choyla - three-dimensional snack made from beaten rice
- Samosas - fried or baked pastry with savory filling
- Sel roti - circular shaped fried pastry
In terms of sweets, Nepalis often consume Ras Malai, Gulab Jamun and Lalmohan. Jilebi, Mohi and Nepali Laddu are also popular sweet dishes.
Sample Vocabulary
To help you speak Nepali more fluently, here are some common food-related words and phrases in Nepali.
| Nepali (individual language) | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Dal | Daa-uhl | Lentil soup |
| Tarkari | Tur-kuh-ri | Vegetable curry |
| Momo | Moh-moh | Dumplings |
| Chiura | Ch-ur-aa | Flattened rice |
| Achar | Uh-char | Pickle |
| Jhol | J-ohl | Curry/soup |
| Masu | Mu-suh | Meat |
I hope that you found this lesson informative and helpful. Before you know it, you'll be able to speak like a true Nepali and impress your friends with your knowledge of Nepali food!