Fermented leafy green vegetable soup
3 restaurants serving Gundruk across Australia
Gundruk is a traditional Nepali food made from fermented leafy greens (usually mustard leaves or radish leaves). The leaves are dried and fermented, then used to make a sour soup that's a staple in Nepali households, especially in rural areas. Gundruk soup is often served with dal bhat or dhindo and is available in many Nepali restaurants in Australia.
Gundruk is one of Nepal's most unique and culturally significant foods — a fermented leafy green vegetable that has sustained Nepali communities for centuries. The fermentation process preserves the greens for months, making it an essential food during winter and monsoon when fresh vegetables are scarce.
The process of making gundruk is traditional and labour-intensive: fresh mustard leaves, radish leaves, or cauliflower leaves are wilted, then packed tightly into earthen pots or plastic containers and left to ferment for several days. The fermentation gives gundruk its distinctive sour taste and aroma. After fermentation, the leaves are sun-dried for long-term storage.
Gundruk is most commonly prepared as a soup (gundruk ko jhol) — the dried fermented leaves are rehydrated and cooked with tomatoes, green chillies, garlic, and spices to create a tangy, flavourful broth. It's also stir-fried as a dry side dish (gundruk ko achar) or added to other curries.
In Nepali cuisine, gundruk is typically served with:\n- Dhindo (buckwheat or millet porridge)\n- Dal bhat (rice and lentil soup)\n- Roti (flatbread)\n- As part of a Thakali khana set
For the Nepali diaspora in Australia, gundruk is a taste of home. Many Nepali grocery stores across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and other cities stock dried gundruk for home cooking. Several authentic Nepali restaurants also feature gundruk on their menus, particularly those specialising in traditional Thakali or Newari cuisine. If you're seeking an authentic taste of rural Nepal, gundruk is a must-try dish.
Gundruk is a traditional Nepali food made from fermented leafy green vegetables, typically mustard or radish leaves, that are dried and used in soups and curries.
Gundruk has a distinctive sour and tangy flavour from the fermentation process, with an earthy aroma. It's usually cooked as a soup with spices.
Fresh leafy greens are wilted, packed tightly and fermented for several days, then sun-dried for long-term storage.
Many Nepali grocery stores stock dried gundruk for home cooking, and some authentic Nepali restaurants serve gundruk soup, especially those with Thakali or traditional cuisine.
