When people think of Nepalese food, images of rich curry sauces ladled over rice often come to mind. But that overlooks the vast diversity of “curry-like” preparations in Nepali cooking beyond the generic “curry and rice.”
At Everest Cuisine, Chef Sagar draws from regional cuisines across Nepal to showcase an array of dishes that may be technically called “curries” but also push beyond that conventional definition.
Take Jhwai Khatowa, a hearty stew from central Nepal featuring vegetables, chicken, and a thick gravy spiced with local timur berries and lemony amiso leaves which give it a quintessentially Nepali flavor. This robust hill country recipe shows that not all Nepali “curries” are thin sauces – some are rich, satisfying stews perfect for colder climes.
Then there’s Chameli Sag, a cornmeal-based porridge from western Nepal loaded with spinach and chameli flowers that impart a pleasant tanginess. The preparation highlights the region’s agricultural abundance in a one-bowl meal that comforts both body and soul. As Chef Sagar notes, some of Nepal’s best “curries” come in the form of nourishing porridges.
Moving north, Haku Choila is a Tibetan-style noodle dish where yak butter is infused with chili to create a spicy dressing. The result is a rich chaos that balances the cooler mountain climate cuisine of Nepal’s Himalayan borderlands. Using butter instead of sauce reflects adaptations to sparse ingredients at high altitudes.
These “non-curry curries” reveal how the term itself is just an approximation that spans everything from thin gravies to thick porridges and spicy aromatic jars of butter. What unifies them is a focus on the complex layering of aromas and flavors utilizing a medley of spices, herbs, and local ingredients – with “sauce” being just one of many possible vehicles.
So the next time you visit Everest Cuisine, don’t limit yourself to standard “curry and rice.” Venture into Nepal’s lesser-known but equally delicious “curry alternatives” for a more nuanced culinary journey across the Himalayan kingdom’s diverse regions, terrains, and cultures. As Chef Sagar says, “The name matters little. It’s the taste that tells the true story.”