According to Prozipcodes, Nepalese cuisine is quite diverse. Traditional recipes are quite simple, which is not surprising in local conditions – for centuries the Nepalese lived in conditions of a severe shortage of food resources (no more than 6% of the country’s territory is suitable for agriculture). The main product is rice in all sorts of combinations, with vegetables, various sauces (preference is given, of course, to hot “curry”), sometimes with butter or pieces of yak meat, goat meat or poultry (a cow is a sacred animal, eating its meat is considered sacrilege). The traditional Nepalese dish “dal” (“dhai bhat tarakari”) is boiled rice with lentils and vegetable curry, as well as fresh or pickled soybeans. In mountainous areas, boiled and baked potatoes are typical food, wheat and millet porridge with butter from yak milk or buvola (“ghee”). Fermented milk products are used in large quantities, primarily cottage cheese and yogurt “dahi”, which are often mixed with crushed rice (“dahi-chiura”) or wheat, as well as a variety of wild herbs. Thin cakes made from rice, corn or wheat flour are served at the table with a fairly coarse grinding. The influence of neighboring India and China is noticeable in the form of a variety of recipes for cooking vegetables and sauces, the increasing spread of noodles and legumes. The national drink is black tea, consumed both “in pure form” and with milk or cream (butter is often added in mountainous regions). From alcoholic beverages they use local moonshine “tonba”, an alcoholic drink from barley “chang” (a local variety of homemade beer), rice or millet beer “rakshi”, rum “kukri”, as well as all kinds of imported drinks (very expensive). Nepal also produces good beer varieties San Miguel, Carlsberg, Tuborg, Star, Tiger and Iceberg.
Nepal: Money and currency of Nepal
Nepalese rupee (NRs, NPR), equal to 100 paise. In circulation there are banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 rupees, coins of 1, 2 and 5 rupees, as well as 5, 10, 25 and 50 paise. Coins are used less and less.Banks are open from Monday to Thursday from 09:00-10:00 to 14:00-14:30, on Friday – from 10:00 to 12:00. Day off – Saturday. Official exchange offices usually work from 09:00 to 19:00, many seven days a week. The exchange rate of the Nepalese rupee is rigidly pegged to the Indian one. The official rate is determined by the state-owned Nepal Rastra Bank and published in daily newspapers. Currency can be exchanged at banks and specialized licensed exchange offices (in some, a commission is charged for the exchange, but a “Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt” certificate is issued, according to which a return exchange of up to 15% of the amount is carried out at the airport upon departure from the country). At land border crossings, a reverse currency exchange is not possible. You can exchange money unofficially – the black currency market, despite the official ban, operates actively and openly. The course in this case is about 10% more profitable than the current bank one, but no one issues any certificates. Most foreign currencies are accepted for payment, including Indian rupees, but in the interior it is almost impossible to pay with foreign currency. Most traveler’s checks are accepted without problems at major banks in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but some banks and agencies only accept checks from major international companies. It is also almost impossible to use them for direct payments. Payment by credit cards of the world’s main systems is accepted by hotels and retail outlets in Kathmandu and Pokhara, as well as Nepal Grindlays Bank branches throughout the country, but usually the price of the goods is slightly higher than with cash payment, or a 2% commission is charged.