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Taste of Nepal
Winner of the 2008 "Best Foreign Cuisine Book," Gourmand World Cookbook Awards The landlocked nation of Nepal is tucked into the Himalayan Mountains between India and China (Tibet). Possessed of a varied landscape and such treasures as Mount Everest, the Nepalese are proud of their time-worn temples, sublime scenery, hiking trails, and a rich and vibrant culture. The cuisine is surprisingly diverse for such a small country, with influences from Chinese and Indian culinary methods and tastes. One of the very few Nepali cookbooks on the market, Taste of Nepal is a thorough and comprehensive guide to this cuisine, featuring more than 350 authentic recipes, a section on well-known Nepali herbs and spices, menu planning, Nepalese kitchen equipment, and delightful illustrations. Instructions are clearly detailed and most ingredients are readily available in the United States. Complete with illustrations. There is something for everyone in this book. For the most timid cook--Fried Rice (Baasi-Bhaat Bhutuwa) or Stir-Fried Chicken (Kukhura Taareko) are easily achievable. The adventurous home chef will be tempted to try Goat Curry (Khasi-Boka ko Maasu) and Sun-Dried Fish with Tomato Chutney (Golbheda ra Sidra Maacha).
470 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 20, 2014
There isn't a whole lot of books regarding Nepalese cuisine published yet compared to other popular food cultures.
While this book might look not so glamorous when one first turns the pages, I can verify that every single recipe in the book is very Nepalese, right from the kitchen.
Forget the glossy shiny cookbooks, reading the ingredients just makes me smile. It's really hard to come by a book that has 'Furandana', 'Niguro ko saag', 'Yamori', 'Bara', 'Mo:Mo', 'Choyela', 'Bhutuwa Jibro', 'Juju Dhau', 'Til ko chop', 'Lapsi ko achar',... and the list goes on.... all on the same book.
The best part is that none of these recipes are adulterated, or modified/twisted for a 'broader' audience so to speak. Running at around 400 pages, this book tries and covers most of the popular food cultures in Nepal.
Definitely, the best no-bullshit guide to Nepalese cuisine.
While this book might look not so glamorous when one first turns the pages, I can verify that every single recipe in the book is very Nepalese, right from the kitchen.
Forget the glossy shiny cookbooks, reading the ingredients just makes me smile. It's really hard to come by a book that has 'Furandana', 'Niguro ko saag', 'Yamori', 'Bara', 'Mo:Mo', 'Choyela', 'Bhutuwa Jibro', 'Juju Dhau', 'Til ko chop', 'Lapsi ko achar',... and the list goes on.... all on the same book.
The best part is that none of these recipes are adulterated, or modified/twisted for a 'broader' audience so to speak. Running at around 400 pages, this book tries and covers most of the popular food cultures in Nepal.
Definitely, the best no-bullshit guide to Nepalese cuisine.
January 25, 2025
I am married to a Nepalese man and have cooked a lot of dishes from this book (which I actually owned long before our marriage oddly enough). The recipes are very good (honestly if you’re just after a book to learn how to cook lots of different ingredients in interesting ways buy this, she has a recipe for pretty much every vegetable under the sun and, true to Nepalese cooking in general they are all easy to make, fairly economical, fresh and healthy).
Not everything has turned out exactly how my husband is used to it but bear in mind Nepal has a lot of regional variation in its cuisine and everyone’s mum is going to cook things differently. The only negative is that, to an extent some regional recipes are not in here, this is kind of Newari and Kathmandu Chhetri kind of cooking from what I can see. If you wanted a book that focusses on regional Nepalese cuisine try Prashanta Khanal’s Timmur.
Not everything has turned out exactly how my husband is used to it but bear in mind Nepal has a lot of regional variation in its cuisine and everyone’s mum is going to cook things differently. The only negative is that, to an extent some regional recipes are not in here, this is kind of Newari and Kathmandu Chhetri kind of cooking from what I can see. If you wanted a book that focusses on regional Nepalese cuisine try Prashanta Khanal’s Timmur.
August 14, 2011
I've never been anywhere near Nepal but I am a huge fan of Nepalease/Tibetan/Himalayan cuisine that I have experienced in restaurants here in Australia.
I really wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this book online. There were few books of Nepalease cooking to choose from but this one seemed to review favourably so I thought I'd take a punt.
I was NOT disappointed. I have not cooked a single thing from this book that has failed. In fact out of all the cookbooks I own this has been the one that I have cooked the largest number of dishes from. And, if I had a bit more time on my hands, I'd probably try and cook my way through the entire book.
Naturally there are some ingredients that are hard to source but mos I was able to find by visiting a local spice shop. I have no doubt that I could order the others online but instead I've just omitted them or tried to substitute them by googling alternatives.
I wish that this book came with metric measurements and colourful photographs but it's been such a success that I can definitely forgive these shortcomings.
Sure it looks a bit daunting but don't be discouraged. I'd recommend this book if you're looking for something totally different to cook and you're adventurous with flavours.
I really wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this book online. There were few books of Nepalease cooking to choose from but this one seemed to review favourably so I thought I'd take a punt.
I was NOT disappointed. I have not cooked a single thing from this book that has failed. In fact out of all the cookbooks I own this has been the one that I have cooked the largest number of dishes from. And, if I had a bit more time on my hands, I'd probably try and cook my way through the entire book.
Naturally there are some ingredients that are hard to source but mos I was able to find by visiting a local spice shop. I have no doubt that I could order the others online but instead I've just omitted them or tried to substitute them by googling alternatives.
I wish that this book came with metric measurements and colourful photographs but it's been such a success that I can definitely forgive these shortcomings.
Sure it looks a bit daunting but don't be discouraged. I'd recommend this book if you're looking for something totally different to cook and you're adventurous with flavours.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews