![]() Newar or
Newah are the indigenous people living in Kathmandu valley. The
language of Newars is Newari. They have multiple ethnicity, race
(Mongolian, Aryan, Austro-Dravidian) and faith within the community
united by same language .
The Newari language is called Nepal
Bhasa and it has its own script. Nepal Bhasa, is of Tibeto-Burman
origin. Newars are very rich in culture and traditions. Newari foods are
very delicious and famous all over the world. Food is very important part of the ritual and religious life of the Newars. The food items served to the guests during festivals and feasts have own symbolic significance. Different sets of ritual dishes are placed in a circle around the staple rice flakes to represent and honor different sets of deities depending on the festival or life-cycle ceremony. We can classify Newari meals into three main categories 1) Daily meals (ja), 2) Snack (baji) 3) Feasts (bhoye). The meal consists of rice (ja), dal (ke) and vegetable (tarkari). Same meal is eaten morning and evening. If one can afford, meat (la) item is seen on the side of Newar’s regular meal. Newars prefer to eat snacks in the afternoon. It generally consists of flattened rice (baji), eaten with such items as roasted and curried soya beans (musya), fermented mustard leaves (gundro), or curried potato (alu tarakari). They also have some meat (la) and home- made liquor (thon) with it. Baji is called chiura in Nepali. Another main category of food is served at feasts. In this meal also beaten rice (baji) is the main dish. At feasts various preparations based on buffalo meat are served along with curries of vegetables and pulses. Home-made liquor (thon) is served along with the food. Generally, feast meal is concluded by serving curd, sugar and fruit (sisapusa). Pieces of betel nuts and cloves are also served at end of the meal. Kwati (soup of different beans), Kachila (spiced minced meat), Choila which
is water buffalo meat marinated in spices and grilled over the flames
of dried wheat stalks, wo (lentil cake), paun kwa (sour soup), stuffed
lung, fried liver, fried tongue, tripe stuffed with bone marrow and
jellied fish soup are some of the popular festival foods. Dessert
consists of dhau (yogurt), sisabusa (fruits) and mari (sweetmeat). Thwon
and aila are the common alcoholic liquors that Newars make at home. At
meals, festivals and gatherings, Newars sit on long mats in rows.
Typically, the sitting arrangement is hierarchical with the eldest
sitting at the top and the youngest at the end. Newar cuisine makes use
of mustard oil and a host of spices such as cumin, sesame seeds,
turmeric, garlic, ginger, mint, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, pepper,
chili and mustard seeds. | Other recipe |
Newari Khana and Khaja