The luxurious wedding rehearsal dinner Nepali style:
yellow dal, tomato chutney, and chicken and potato curry
Noshing in Nepal:
Exploring Culture with Food
by Jessica Clem-McClaren, photography by Jason McClaren
W
e had been up for 30 hours when we had our first meal
together. After hours of flying time and airport craziness,
the jet lag and overall fuzziness in my head was threatening to suck
out all the politeness I had left. It was nighttime when we sat in
the middle of our host’s living room, cross-legged on a floral sheet
stretched over the marble floor, too tired to feel anything.
Until the smell of spicy noodle soup wafted through the room.
Already fussing over our comfort, our hosts, two beautiful
Nepalese women with blindingly bright scarves and kind eyes
pushed china bowls of steaming goodness into our hands.
Ramen noodles in a spicy broth with scallions, egg and hot pepper.
“Food is a way to tell friends and
neighbors they are loved, and it is
incredibly evident in the way meals
are conducted in Nepal.”
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The aroma cleared out my nasal passages and I felt reborn. What
was once a room full of grumbling Americans turned into a chorus
of slurping and murmuring, a positive energy filling our spirits as
our bowls emptied.
This would be one of many food memories I would make in
Nepal.
My husband and I were two of eight that made the journey from
the United States to Pokhara, a lovely metropolis five hours from
Kathmandu. The purpose of our visit was to see two dear friends,
Jean and Joe, get married.
Though born and bred Nebraskans, the bride and groom have
a particular calling for this side of the world. The bride’s family
resides in Pokhara, in homes set with ribbons of marble, and
balconies offering the sights of sacred Fishtail Mountain, nestled in
the Annapurna range. Jean’s Aunt Phal was our amazing host during
our time. Her cooking was nearly as perfect as her home, and she
made us feel like royalty.