Street Food in Nepal

Nepal is one of the good place to try street food sold by street vendors which has become part of city life and part of tourism in touristic zones of nepal like Thamel, Pokhara and chitwan. The street food are sometimes blamed for not maintaining hygenic conditions. The famous street foods of nepal are golgappa (pani puri), momo (dumplings), saussages, sel roti (donout) and other many things. Street food are very good when there is street festival. In the eve of christmas or new years (nepali and english new year) and other special occasions street festivals are organized in touristic hub of Nepal like thamel, kings road, lake side pokhara and Sauraha chitwan. To promote tourism and local bussiness several celebrations are going in local districts all round the year where street food is major attraction. Here are some famous street food found in Nepal which could be in the plan of a visitor here:

1) Chatpate:

Many a food-horror stories begin with chatpate, and yet every time we come across a chatpate stand we will buy at least Rs. 20 worth of it as if we are in a trance like state. That is the magic of chatpate, one of the most common and loved street food in Nepal. A quick mix of bubble rice, instant noodles, peas, potatoes, chilli, tomato sauce, and a squeeze of lime is all it takes, and the didi or dai preparing it will do it in the speed of light. The spice-level of the dish can be fixed according to your taste, so let the maker know of it.

2) Sekuwa:

The next meat-y dish on this list is the Nepali bbq meat, also know as the Sekuwa. Unlike momo stalls and Newari Khaja ghars, Sekuwa stalls on the streets of Kathmandu are hard to come by – the best place you can go for this delicacy is in Koteshwor (near the airport). If you’re a beer lover then you have to try a chilled one with a plate of Sekuwa. While mutton is the preferred meat of choice, you will also fined buffalo and chicken sekuwa served in many of the stalls.

3) Momo (Dumplings):

The quintessential Nepali food, be it in the home of a local or on the streets of Kathmandu, this is one dish you absolutely cannot leave Kathmandu without trying. If we had our way, we’ probably put stall right beside the immigration counter at the airport too!, these little bundles of happiness are Nepali-styled dumplings that are a common affair in all Nepali households.

4) Panipuri / Chat:

A borrowed street snack from our southern neighbour, panipuri and chat has found its way from our stomach to our heart and made a place for itself there. Panipuri is a concoction of crispy fried semolina balls, filled with seasoned mashed potatoes and lentils, and served with a tangy sauce. Chat is a messy but delicious mix of potatoes, crisp fried bread, yogurt, chopped onions, chickpeas, and of course a tangy sauce.

5) Chatamari:

Locals will often refer to dish as the Nepali pizza but it could well be labelled a taco given that Chatamaris are generally folded and served with fillings. However, what sets it apart from pizzas and tacos are the distinct Nepali spices used and the crepe which is made using rice flour.