Authentic Nepali Recipes: Momos, Dal Bhat, Sel Roti and More (Cook at Home)

Missing the taste of home? Whether you are a Nepali living abroad craving the comfort of momos and dal bhat, or a food lover curious about Nepali cuisine, this guide gives you authentic, tested recipes for Nepal's most beloved dishes. Every recipe includes step-by-step instructions, ingredient lists you can find at any supermarket or Nepali grocery store, and tips for getting the flavours just right.

1. Momos — Nepal's National Dish

Momos are Nepal's most iconic food — steamed dumplings filled with spiced minced meat or vegetables, served with a fiery tomato achar (dipping sauce). Every Nepali family has their own recipe, but this is the classic version.

Ingredients — Filling (makes 40-50 momos)

• 500g chicken mince (or beef/pork/vegetable mince)
• 1 large red onion, very finely chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter
• Salt to taste

Ingredients — Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water (approximately)
• 1 tbsp oil
• Pinch of salt

Shortcut: Use store-bought round wonton wrappers (available at Asian grocery stores) instead of making dough from scratch.

Ingredients — Tomato Achar (Dipping Sauce)

• 4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 4 dried red chillies (soaked in warm water 10 min)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander for garnish

Method — Momos

1. Make the dough: Mix flour, salt, and oil. Add water gradually, kneading until you have a smooth, soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling: Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands for 5 minutes — this develops the proteins and makes the filling juicy. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
3. Make the achar: Char tomatoes and chillies on a hot pan or open flame until skins blister. Peel tomatoes. Blend with sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, salt, and mustard oil until slightly chunky. Garnish with coriander.
4. Roll the wrappers: Divide dough into 40-50 small balls. Roll each into a thin circle about 7-8cm diameter. Keep covered to prevent drying.
5. Shape the momos: Place 1 tbsp filling in the centre of each wrapper. Pleat the edges, gathering them together at the top to form a moneybag shape, leaving a small vent for steam.
6. Steam: Lightly oil your steamer trays. Place momos without touching. Steam for 10-12 minutes until the dough is translucent and cooked through.
7. Serve immediately with tomato achar. Momos are best eaten fresh and hot.

Tip: The secret to juicy momos is the oil/butter in the filling and not overcooking. The mince should be just cooked through, not dry.

2. Dal Bhat Tarkari — The Soul of Nepali Cuisine

Dal bhat is the everyday meal of Nepal — fragrant lentil soup (dal), steamed rice (bhat), and a seasonal vegetable curry (tarkari). It is eaten twice daily by millions of Nepalis and is the ultimate comfort food.

Ingredients — Dal (serves 4)

• 1 cup yellow lentils (toor dal) or black lentils (maas ko dal)
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp mustard oil (or ghee)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh coriander

Method — Dal

1. Wash lentils thoroughly and soak for 30 minutes.
2. Combine lentils, water, turmeric, and salt in a pot. Bring to boil, then simmer for 25-30 minutes until lentils are very soft.
3. Heat mustard oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and dried chillies. When they splutter, add garlic and onion. Fry until golden.
4. Pour this tarka (tempering) over the cooked dal. Cover immediately to trap the aromas.
5. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve with steamed rice.

Ingredients — Tarkari (simple potato cauliflower curry)

• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup water
• Fresh coriander for garnish

Method — Tarkari

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add onion and fry until golden.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, and chilli powder. Cook until tomatoes soften and oil separates.
4. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Stir to coat with spices.
5. Add water and salt. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
6. Garnish with coriander. Serve with dal bhat.

3. Sel Roti — Nepali Festival Ring Bread

Sel roti is a crispy-outside, chewy-inside ring bread made from rice flour, traditionally prepared during Dashain and Tihar festivals. It is deep-fried and slightly sweet, with a distinctive texture that is unlike any other bread.

Ingredients (makes 15-20 sel rotis)

• 2 cups fine rice flour
• 1 cup coarse rice flour (or grind regular rice coarsely)
• 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• 3 tbsp melted butter or ghee
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), lightly crushed
• 1 banana, mashed (optional, helps binding)
• 2 cups water (approximately)
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Combine both rice flours, sugar, cardamom, fennel seeds, and melted butter in a large bowl.
2. Add water gradually, stirring continuously, until you have a smooth, thick batter (like pancake batter but slightly thicker).
3. Add mashed banana if using. Mix well.
4. Cover and rest the batter for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
5. Heat oil in a deep, wide pan to medium heat (about 170°C). The oil should be deep enough to submerge the sel roti.
6. Place a small heat-safe bowl upside-down in the centre of the pan (this helps shape the ring).
7. Pour batter in a circular motion around the bowl to form a ring. Use a squeeze bottle or pour from a cup for control.
8. Fry until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Use a skewer to flip and maintain shape.
9. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: The oil temperature is critical. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks. Too cool and the sel roti absorbs too much oil. Test with a drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately.

4. Gundruk ko Achar — Fermented Greens Pickle

Gundruk is one of Nepal's oldest preserved foods — dried fermented leafy greens with a tangy, earthy flavour. It is served as a side dish with dal bhat or as a condiment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried gundruk (available at Nepali grocery stores)
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tomato, chopped (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Soak gundruk in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seeds and dried chillies. When they splutter, add garlic and ginger.
3. Add turmeric and chopped tomato. Cook until tomato softens.
4. Add drained gundruk and salt. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and coriander. Mix well.
6. Serve with dal bhat or as a side dish.

5. Masala Chiya — Nepali Spiced Milk Tea

Chiya (tea) is the lifeblood of Nepal. Every visit, every conversation, every morning starts with a cup of masala chiya. This is the authentic recipe.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup full-cream milk
• 2 tsp loose black tea leaves (or 2 tea bags)
• 2 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
• 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 small piece of ginger, grated
• 1 clove
• 1 small cinnamon stick

Method

1. Bring water to boil in a small saucepan. Add cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and ginger.
2. Simmer for 2 minutes to infuse the spices.
3. Add tea leaves and sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add milk and bring back to a boil. Watch carefully — it can boil over quickly.
5. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the tea is a rich, creamy colour.
6. Strain into cups and serve hot.

Where to Find Nepali Ingredients in Australia

All the ingredients for these recipes can be found at:

• Nepali grocery stores in your city — for rice flour, gundruk, mustard oil, cardamom, and other Nepali staples
• Indian grocery stores — for lentils, spices, and tea
• Asian grocery stores — for wonton wrappers (momo shortcut)
• Major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) — for basic ingredients like flour, oil, vegetables

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze momos?

Yes. Shape the momos and place them on a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Steam directly from frozen for 15-20 minutes. They keep for up to 3 months.

What can I use instead of mustard oil?

Mustard oil gives Nepali food its distinctive flavour, but if you cannot find it, use regular vegetable oil or ghee. The flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.

Can I make sel roti without coarse rice flour?

Coarse rice flour gives sel roti its crispy texture. If you cannot find it, grind regular rice in a blender to a coarse consistency (not as fine as flour). Alternatively, use all fine rice flour — the sel roti will be softer but still tasty.

Is dal bhat healthy?

Yes. Dal bhat is a balanced meal — lentils provide protein and fibre, rice provides carbohydrates, and the vegetable curry provides vitamins. It is naturally low in fat (if you use less oil) and high in nutrients. This is why Nepali porters can carry heavy loads for days on dal bhat alone.

Related Res

• Nepali Restaurants in Australia
• Nepali Grocery Stores in Australia
• Nepali Festivals Explained: Dashain and Tihar
• Nepali Calendar 2083 BS: Festival Dates
• Learn Nepali: Basic Phrases for Beginners

s: SBS Food, Hamro Find, traditional family recipes. Last updated August 2026.