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Archive for the ‘Nepali dishes’ Category
Good-bye winter
in daily life, ECS Nepal, Food, Nepali dishes, restaurants, thukpa, Tibetan cooking, wintertime
Most days since I became a regular here at ECS, I’ve either brought a sandwich or followed a group of coworkers to their favourite lunch spot, a local joint around the corner. However, not long ago a large rodent ran through there, inches from my feet. Fortunately I did not see it, but it has been enough to put me off returning there since. I’m well aware that many eateries in Nepal often play unwitting hosts to small creatures of all sorts, but what made this different was the fact that this place seemed to tolerant of or possibly even catering to the animal’s presence. And it was running from the direction of the kitchen, so…
This might seem a strange way to begin a post about delicious food, and yet. Feeling a little disloyal, the next time I wanted lunch I let the group go on without me and headed out on my own to a place across the street from our offices, where I’ve seen some of the staff eating before. It’s only marginally more upscale than the place favoured by most of my colleagues, but not by much. With chilly days still very much with us, I ordered one of my favourite winter dishes, a chicken thukpa. Thukpa is a thick soup of noodles and vegetables, served in a spicy broth, with or without your choice of meat or egg. It has its roots in Tibet, though the incarnations generally served nowadays in the valley’s small restaurants have evolved into a unique local variant.
Well, this version was delicious, and I was back again and again. A few days ago I opted for the slightly pricier ‘mixed’ thukpa, which has everything–veggies, eggs, and several kinds of meat. Heaven!
Yesterday–literally from one day to the next–warm, spring weather flooded the valley. Usually the change is more gradual, but this year the cold had lingered much later than usual, so the sudden change was all the more noticeable. Someone here at work said that the warm weather was triggered by the hailstorm we had a few days ago – everyone has a weather theory here!
All that to say, my thukpa eating days are pretty much over, unless we get another cold spell. So today, despite the heat, I ordered a last bowl of mixed thukpa anyway, the one you see here. It was delicious, another reminder, if I needed one, of why I love cold days best.
Whatever you’re eating as you read this, I hope it’s as tasty.
The Mo:Mo Series — Number 5
in Food, mo: mo, mo:mo series, Nepali dishes, restaurants, wintertime
These super-awesome incredibly delicious pork mo:mo are from New Dish, a little place tucked upstairs in Kichapokhari, New Road. It’s been open for 26 years but I’ve only just been there for the first time (and the second, and third–already). They have a small menu–amongst which pork mo:mo are the only mo:mo variety–but they are great. Thin-skinned and succulent, served with a simple hot chilli dipping sauce, and a bowl of broth. There used to be a place by my house that served broth with their mo:mos (basically it’s the steaming water, doctored up a little) but they closed and I’ve missed it. This place is already on my favourites list, and with chilly winter weather on the way, I know I will become a regular here.
Dashain Goodies…
in Food, Nepali dishes, Newari Food
The Mo:Mo Series — Number 4
in Food, Kathmandu, mo: mo, mo:mo series, Nepali dishes
So are these top-notch mo:mos? Not exactly. They’re decent though, and the the mix of the two sauces provided (regular tomato and extra chilli) is pretty tasty.
What does make them awesome and fun is that they come from this cute stand out in the parking lot of the Maharajgunj branch of the Bhat Bhateni Supermarket. In case it’s too small to read in the picture, the line on the bottom of the food stall reads, verbatim:
So Long As You have Mo:Mo In Your Mouth, You Have Solved All Questions For The Time Being.
I really can’t argue with that. In fact, it could practically be my motto.
The Mo:Mo Series – Number 1
in Food, mo: mo, Nepali dishes
After the mo:mo picture I posted here recently, I got to thinking about the amazing variety of mo:mo available here in Nepal — there are so many different shapes, sauces, and styles. I love recording them, so I think I’m going to post some mo:mo pictures I’ve been taking (and eating, of course) with a little information about the place I had them and how they were. Here goes.
These are the chicken mo:mo at the Dokhaima Cafe, Patan Dhoka, Patan. I’ve had these often and they’re outstanding — juicy and best of all, that green sauce? It’s a chilli-mint concoction that’s fresh and delicious, and I always need a refill. Note that the middle orangey sauce is pretty good too (the top one is pretty much lethal chilli).