Overview
Dal bhat — lentil soup with steamed rice, vegetable curry, pickles, and often meat — is the foundation of Nepali daily life, eaten twice a day by most of the population and beloved by trekkers for its energy, balance, and infinite variety. Learning to cook it properly, with the right spice-tempering technique and the perfect texture of each component, is one of the most satisfying and practical souvenirs you can take home from Nepal.
This half-day class begins with a guided walk through a local Asan market to select fresh vegetables, spices, and lentils — a mini-tour of Nepali ingredients in their natural context. Back in the kitchen, your host cook walks you through the preparation of a full dal bhat set plus steamed momos from scratch, with hands-on participation at every step. You eat the meal you cooked together at the end, and leave with a printed recipe card.
What You'll Cook
- Dal (lentil soup) — tempered with mustard oil, cumin, turmeric, and garlic
- Bhat (steamed rice) — the Nepali way
- Tarkari (seasonal vegetable curry) — chosen fresh at the market
- Achar (fresh tomato and sesame pickle)
- Steamed momos — dough from scratch, folding technique, and dipping sauce
- Chiya (Nepali spiced milk tea) to finish
Itinerary
Hotel Pickup & Market Visit — Asan Bazaar
Walk to the Asan market with your guide and cook. Learn to identify fresh vs. dried spices, choose seasonal vegetables, select lentil varieties, and understand the logic of Nepali pantry staples.
Arrive at the Cooking Kitchen
A well-equipped traditional kitchen in a family home near Thamel. Aprons on — the cook introduces the equipment, the spice rack, and the structure of the meal you'll prepare.
Hands-On Cooking Session
You cook everything: cleaning and cutting vegetables, making the momo dough and filling, learning the tempering (tarkaa) technique for the dal, preparing the achar. The cook guides and demonstrates but your hands do the work.
Eat the Meal You Cooked
Sit down to enjoy the full dal bhat set and momos you prepared. Compare notes, ask questions, and taste the difference your technique makes.
Recipe Card & Farewell Chiya
Receive your printed recipe card with all quantities and techniques. End with a shared cup of homemade chiya before returning to your hotel.
Includes & Excludes
✓ Included
- Market visit with guide
- All ingredients
- Experienced home cook instructor
- Full dal bhat meal (eaten together)
- Momos and chiya
- Printed recipe card
- Apron to keep
✕ Excluded
- Transport to/from kitchen (10 min walk from Thamel)
- Tips for cook and guide
- Personal drinks beyond chiya
- Nepal visa / Kathmandu hotel
Class Photos
Cancellation Policy
| Notice Period | Refund |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more | 90% refunded |
| 45 – 59 days | 75% refunded |
| 30 – 44 days | 50% refunded |
| 15 – 29 days | 25% refunded |
| 14 days or fewer | No refund |
| No show | No refund |