Nepali Food Glossary

Of all the Nepalese people, the Newars celebrate the greatest number of festivities and feasts. They are known for a immense variety of cuisines they prepare in many occasions. Newar food can be divided into two main types.

1.Daily foods- Jyona (Lunch), Beli (Dinner).
2.Bhoye- Banquet having a number of dishes with systematic arrangement in order.

The Meat Dishes of the Newars are as follows-

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Appetizers/Snacks
Chatanmari-It is something like what you call pizza. It is prepared from rice flour with minced meat or egging topping or also can be prepared plainly. It is mainly eaten in Digu Puja.
Wo-A flat cake of mashed lentils with or without egg/minced meat topping.
Samay Baji- A ritual set of five dishes representing Pancha Tatwa. It constitutes Baji, Samay (flattened rice), chhoyla (roasted meat), sanya (smoked fish), palu (sliced ginger) and aila (wine).
Chhoyla- Spicy meat, ether roasted or boiled known as haku chhoyla or mana chhoyla. It is generally served with flattened rice and homemade wine.
Sukula- Dried meat diced and spiced.
Tahkha- A jelly-like meat.

Meat Dishes
Jyona/beli-Boiled rice. Usually these words stand for a set of rice, and curries.
Ken- Lentil soup served with rice.
Wauncha- Green vegetables, especially mustard/spinach in feasts.
Boobah- Bean curry.
La- Meat curries, various verities : Pukala (fried), Gorma (white jellied meat), Dayakala (curried meat), for instance.

Relishes
Sanan- Pickle, usually hot.
Sanya khuna/ Nya khuna- Jellied fish soup.
Paun kwa- Sour soup made from hog plum.

Dessert
Juju dhau- Yogurt of high quality.

Sweets
Pachinta mari- Sweet made of wheat flour and sugar, a must in Pastah Bhoye (high class wedding feast) which is taken away to home.

Drinks
Thon- White beer, made of fermented rice. It too has some types : hyaun thon (red one), taku thon (thick one) etc.
Aila- Colorless homemade liquor.