Who Am I  and How Does My Culture Feed Me?

To look for myself in Nepali food is to ask:

Who am I, really and how does my culture feed me, both literally and metaphorically?

Nepali food isn’t just dal-bhat-tarkari.

It’s the aroma of Gundruk fermenting in the sun, the soft, cloud-like Bhakka melting on the tongue, the sound of Sel Roti sizzling during Tihar mornings, the laughter while folding Momo with family in the kitchen. My identity lives in these moments woven with caste, region, religion, season, memory, and emotion.

It lives in:

The ritual of eating with my hand, connecting my body directly to my food and the land it came from.

The unspoken rules  food taboos and timings, who eats what, when, and with whom.

The beauty of regional diversity Thakali thali, Newa feasts, Rai and Limbu fermented dishes, love the Tharu's Ghungi

The seasonal rhythm  bitter saag in winter, tangy mango achars in summer, sweet Yomari in peak cold.

The deep connection to the land terraced rice fields, highland millet patches, jungles that offer wild foraged herbs and roots.

Hinduism and Food: Sacred, Symbolic, Structured

As a Hindu, I was taught that food is Brahman  it holds life itself.

My elders often recited: Annam Brahma  Food is God.

In Ayurveda, Ahara is one of life’s three pillars, alongside Nidra (sleep) and Brahmacharya (discipline). What we eat shapes our body, thoughts, and spirit.

The Bhagavad Gita (17.7–10) explains food in terms of energy:

Sattvic (pure, fresh): fruits, milk, nuts for clarity and peace.

Rajasic (spicy, salty, fermented): foods of ambition and restlessness.

Tamasic (heavy, stale, processed): dulling the mind and body.

The phrase “You are what you eat” isn’t just metaphorical, it’s spiritual.

Offering food first to the divine as Naivedya, and only then partaking as Prasad, is not just ritual  it's a worldview.

Fasting and feasting go hand in hand  with rice pudding during Janai Purnima, goat curry during Dashain, and fruits on Ekadashi.

Krishna and the Kitchen: Divine Mischief and Makhan

As a child, I giggled at tales of Krishna stealing butter Makhan Chor! But as I matured, I understood the deeper symbolism: the intimacy between food and the divine.

During Govardhan Puja, we built rice mounds to represent Mount Govardhan and offered food in gratitude. Food wasn’t just for sustenance  it was an expression of faith and devotion.

Buddhism and Food: Balance, Mindfulness, and Compassion

In Buddhist traditions too, food is sacred.

The Middle Path teaches balance  neither starvation nor indulgence.

Mindful eating Sati involves reflection on the origin and journey of food.

The act of Daan, offering food to monks or guests — reinforces compassion and humility. Food becomes a vehicle of dharma, a practice of presence and gratitude.

Monarchs, Mansions, and Meals: Culinary Traditions of Shah and Rana Eras

Our culinary heritage was shaped not only by geography and religion  but by history and power.

During the reign of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, food was considered part of national sovereignty. The king warned against dependency on foreign imports. His policies emphasized local grains, lentils, and seasonal eating. Kitchens in royal courts followed Vedic protocols, using copper pots, prescribed herbs, and auspicious timings for preparation.

The Shah Dynasty preserved ritual purity in their meals, adhering closely to caste and seasonal food laws, ensuring that food symbolized both power and sanctity.

Then came the Rana regime, with its 104-year rule. Lavish and globally influenced, Rana kitchens were where Persian, British, and Mughlai cuisines mingled with Nepali classics. Lavish banquets featured korma, kebabs, and pulaos beside gundruk, achar, and sel roti. Imported crockery met local brass plates. These intersections created a hybrid Nepali gastronomy layered, luxurious, and distinct.

Despite their excesses, the Ranas maintained records, rituals, and respect for food’s central role in statecraft and social stature.

Food as a Map: My Journey Through Migration

As a migrant Nepali  across continents, classes, and kitchens  I carry food as a passport.

I’ve smuggled achar in suitcases, explained Timur to Michelin chefs, taught my children to fold Momo, and cried silently over the first taste of Gundruk jhol after months abroad.

Food became both my anchor and ambassador.

It told my story when I couldn’t.

It reminded me that home isn’t always a place sometimes, it’s a recipe.

Nepali Cuisine and UNESCO: Why We Belong on the Global Food Heritage Map

Despite its depth and diversity, Nepali cuisine is not yet listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

In contrast, French gastronomy was inscribed in 2010  not for its haute cuisine, but for its ritual of family dining, seasonal respect, and shared joy at the table.

In 2013, Japan’s Washoku gained UNESCO recognition  again, for its seasonal harmony, locality, and spiritual symbolism.

Nepal’s food culture deserves equal respect.

From Thakali thalis to Newa feasts, from Janai rituals to Yomari Punhi, our Gundruk fermentation, Sel roti artistry, and momo craftsmanship reflect centuries of knowledge and collective memory.

This is not merely cuisine.

It is our story, our science, and our soul.

Where Am I in Nepali Food?

I am in:

The sharp aroma of mustard oil in a hot iron pan.

The bitter karela my mother forced me to eat and that I now crave.

The hesitance and pride of eating with my bare hand in a Western restaurant.

The rice offered to my ancestors before my first bite.

The unspoken healing in a bowl of hot Dal-Bhat after a long day.

This  all of this is me.

In every grain of rice. In every pleat of momo.

In every forgotten recipe waiting to be remembered.

Binod Baral 

Research  & Development  Chef , London