Nepalese Food and Its Sociocultural Climate: Changing Dāl-bhāt Inside and Beyond Nepal

Abstract

Nepal is located on the southern face of the Himalayas; as a result, geographical and cultural diversities have nurtured its unique gastronomic culture. It is difficult for people living in remote areas to obtain fresh vegetables and meat because of a lack of transportation and electricity, and these restrictions have sparked several local gastronomic cultures. For example, to preserve vegetables and meat, people living in rural areas tend to dry and smoke them. In Nepalese Hindu society, there are taboos on the consumption of certain food and drink, such as meat and alcohol. Recent data suggest that Nepalese people began to eat meat because of economic development and globalization. These sociocultural changes and the development of transportation networks have together promoted homogenization of food throughout Nepal. However, people also seek locality and “authenticity” in their food. For example, dāl-bhāt, an “authentic” Nepalese food, has been particularly prevalent in Nepal since the development of transportation services. Furthermore, as Nepalese people have begun traveling abroad, dāl-bhāt has spread even beyond Nepalese national borders.