The range of cultural and biological diversities in Nepal also means that there are varieties of Nepali food or say cuisine depending on the different Nepali castes and ethnicities. However, the core Nepali food which is consumed by all the Nepalis, no matter from which ethnicity or caste, is the same amongst all. The most common Nepali food consumed by all Nepali people is lentil soup, rice and vegetables (more commonly referred in Nepali as Daal, Bhat and Tarkari). It is the staple Nepali food consumed by the people as lunch in the morning and also as dinner at night before going to sleep. Along with the rice, lentil soup and vegetables, Nepali food also includes pickles depending on the taste of the individual, ranging from mild to spicy one.
Regular Nepali food or meal also includes meat as most of the Nepali people are fond of eating meat, mostly of goat and chicken. Some ethnic groups also consume buffalo, pork and other kinds of meat items too. The consumption of meat item is especially high during the annual festivals of Dashain and Tihar when people devour on meat cuisine while celebrating the festivals. Another food item that is quite popular in Nepal despite not being the original Nepali cuisine is momo, the Chinese version of dumplings. Momo is so popular in the major cities including Kathmandu that almost everybody eats them as afternoon breakfast. The availability of all sorts of momo ranging from vegetable to different kind of meat stuffed dumplings has also made it very popular among the Nepali people.
And during the festivals like Dashain and Tihar, two of the biggest Hindu festivals in Nepal, special food like Sel roti (circular doughnut like stuff prepared from rice flour) is widely popular and consumed by all sorts of groups and tribes in Nepal. Besides the mainstream Nepali food, Newari cuisines are also widely popular among the ethnic group of Newar and also among the tourists. Newari foods are mostly spicy and tasty and have a lot of varieties of meat. Bara, Chatamari, Yomari are some of the Newari cuisines that are quite popular even outside the Newar ethnicity. Homemade liquors are also quite popular among Newari people and it is their culture to drink homemade liquor during social gatherings. Another popular Nepali food is the Thakali cuisine that of another caste group called Thakali. Thakali cuisine gives the impression that the food items are prepared quite diligently and are quite tasty in flavor. Almost every Nepali ethnic tribe or group has its own special regional food. Existence of so many different food items besides a main Nepali food also signifies the level of diversity in Nepal, its impact on our lives and our culture.