What is Tihar without delicious Nepali recipes? But with busy schedules and modern lifestyles exploring Nepali culinary becomes an extremely exasperating task. For many, getting the correct formulae for an authentic Nepali cuisine is next to impossible.
To help you get out of this dilemma, we at The Week have compiled the secrets to perfect yet simple must have Nepali food recipes for Tihar. So, this festive season, get ready to relish the dishes that you have come to associate with festivities but rarely have the time or know-how to make.
Sel Roti
Often served with hot beverages, sel roti is perfect for breakfast, a light snack or any other meal during the day. This slightly sweet dish is an absolute favorite of many Nepali taste buds.
Utensils required
-Two sticks (popularly called Cuptero), a foot long in length
-A cup to pour the mixture in the pan (You may also use tapari, a leaf bowl)
-A deep frying pan with a flat base
Ingredients
-Rice flour – 1 kg (make sure the flour is not completely grinded, the flour must have a slightly granular texture).
-Water – 500 ml
-Ghee – 2 cups
-Sugar – 2 cups
-Cooking oil – 1 liter
Methodology
First soak the rice in water for a few hours. Drain the excess water and dry the soaked rice. Do not let it dry completely.
Grind the socked rice grains when they are slightly wet. The texture of your rice flour needs be slightly granular. Do not grind the rice into a smooth paste.
Next, wash and soak the rice flour overnight and drain excess water. Add sugar, water and ghee into the flour. Continuously stir the mixture with your hands till it becomes a fine and greasy paste. Using your hand to stir the mixture will give you best results. Make sure your batter is not too thick.
Cover the mixture and leave it for two hours for your ingredients to blend and mix.
After two hours, get your frying pan ready. Make sure your flame is big to get the desired results. The pan must be deep and the base should be flat.
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Pour the batter into the hot oil making round rings. Use cuptero sticks to flip the sel roti and fry it until both the sides are golden brown.
Anarsa
Anarsa is sweet rice cookie that is just the thing you want to have with unsweetened tea during Tihar holidays.
Utensils required
-Grinder
-Spatula
-Frying pan
Ingredients
-Ice – 3 cups
-Ghee – 1 cup
-Sugar – 3 cups
-Butter – 2 cups
-Lemons – 5
-White sesame seeds – ½ cup
Methodology
Grind soaked rice and sugar. Add cardamom, cashew and almonds as per your taste. Leave the mixture overnight.
Then, squeeze lemon and put the juice aside in a bowl.
Take a small ball out of the moist dough mixture and gently flatten it in the form of a cookie.
Heat oil in a big pan and fry the cookie only on one side till it becomes golden brown.
Allow it to cool and your dish is ready to be served.
Phini Roti
Phini Roti is a crispy delicacy especially made during Tihar. This dry snack tastes perfect with tea or pickle.
Utensils required
-Frying pan
-Long rectangular wooden stool
-Frying spoon
Ingredients
-Maida (all purpose flour) – 1 kg
-Ghee – 700 grams
-Water – 2 cups
-Fine rice flour – 1 ½ cups
-Sugar – 1 cup
-Sunflower oil or ghee – 1-2 liters
Methodology
To make a good phini roti you need to make satho (to create layers in the Phini) and phini dough. For satho, mix rice flour and 200 grams ghee in a dish until you get a nice smooth paste.
For making the dough, dry all purpose flour under the sun for at least two days. This helps in making your dish crispy. Slowly combine ghee and water to your flour. The dough should not be too soft.
Now, divide the dough into four equal parts. Flatten the dough out on a rectangular wooden stool. It should not be more than half an inch thick. Later, using a spoon spread satho evenly on the flattened dough.
Gently roll the dough into a tight roll and cut into two inch sized pieces. Flatten the roll and make three slits with the help of a butter knife. Now fry each phini roti individually on a big flame till it becomes crispy. Let it cool and store it in an air tight container.
Arsa
Nepali rice molasses patties
Utensils required
-Grinder
-Frying pan
-Frying spoon
Ingredients
-Basmati rice (needs to be soaked for a few hours) – 3 cups
-Rose water – 1 teaspoon
-Almonds, nuts (according to your taste) – ½ cup
-Milk – 1 cup
-Unsalted butter – 1 cup
-Molasses – 2 cups
-Salt – 1 teaspoon
-Cooking oil – 1 liter
-Sesame seeds – 1 cup
Methodology
First grind soaked rice, butter, almond, sugar and rose water into a smooth paste. After that boil milk and molasses and add the rice mixture, a little at a time while stirring it constantly. A slightly thick dough mixture will be formed at the end of this process.
Now make small balls out of the cooked dough. Flatten the dough into a thin patty and coat the surface with a layer of butter. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the patty.
Finally, heat oil and fry these rice patties. Let both sides of the patty turn golden brown. Wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel and your sweet and crispy rice patty is ready to be served.
