Global Food Discussion
Food and Eating Habits
Nepal
Nepal is a small country located between India, Tibet, and China. It is deep in the Himalayan mountains, where Mount Everest stands. Many world heritage sites are located in this small country. Despite its isolation, Nepal has not developed a distinctive style of cooking. Most Nepalese dishes are Indian in nature, and the staples of the diet are lentils and rice.
Dishes include dal (lentil soup), spiced vegetables, and a raw mixture of ground grain and milk called chapatis. Regional dishes include gurr, a Sherpa dish of potatoes, which are first pounded with spices and then grilled like pancakes on a hot stone. Tibetan cooking includes thukba (thick soup) and momos (stuffed and fried or boiled ravioli). The Nepalese diet includes goat, pork, chicken, and buffalo, but beef is forbidden. The national drink is chiya (tea brewed with milk, sugar, and spices).
There are many customs that visitors to Nepal must respect. One must never step over the feet of a person who is lying down–instead, walk around the feet. It is rude to offer food or drink that you have tasted–it is considered "polluted." Shoes and footwear must not be worn into homes, as the hearth is sacred.
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