The finale to our 10 week training has been an exciting foray into the world of Nepali cookery.  What was a classroom the day before, was transformed into a make-shift kitchen with the addition of a small table top stove and a large canister of gas.  The smells of cumin, red chilies, garlic, ginger, and tumeric permeated the small room quickly as we flavoured the oils with spices.

The first dish, although not Nepali, is easily one of the most available snacks in Nepal – french fries!  So many potatoes around and deep frying is a common cooking method, so of course the natural outcome is a french fry, here often curiously called “finger fried” on the menus…never fingers and always potato.  The best part was the addition of salt and cumin powder for flavour…delish!

Second was the deep frying of what seemed to be mountains of paneer – once fried this was added to a delectable combination of mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and peas that had melded with spices into a thick, saucy, and utterly incredible curry.  Easily, the best Nepali curry I have tasted since I have been here.

Then came the daal and rice – we have all been craving the traditional daal bhaat since returning from our village stay and were eager to get the tips on pressure cooking lentils and legumes.  Topped off with fresh papadums, homemade roti, a potato and broccoli curry and some fresh fruit, and we were all simple stuffed to the gills with good food (dherai ukusmukus bhayo which translates to very, very full and cannot eat another bite).

I am looking forward to having a kitchen where I can begin to experiment a bit with the produce and spices to concoct some other great dishes…recipes posted on the blog if they are tasty!