- Weekend Project
- You will never leave a Newari feast, the first time you attend it without getting your minds blown.
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May 1, 2015-A voracious devourer of traditional Newari food, I may not know a lot of things, but Newari food? It’s my thing! And I have always found a little bit of truth in the age-old adage that goes-- “Prabate bigryo moj-le, Newar bigryo bhoj-le.”
Newari feasts are methodically extravagant and can last over an hour. The sequence of its courses too is considered to be gastronomically sound.
The Newari dining etiquettes
The Newari community is quite strict about disciplines when it comes to their feasts. So don’t even think about fooling around during their meal time. The etiquette has remained
unchanged for years, with only a few exceptions.
- Before it all begins, the close relatives and guthiyars, members of the guthi, are offered the vermillion and samay-baji (chiura with a variety of snacking delicacies).
- The seating arrangement is done with the elders seated ahead in the queue, on straw mats. The elders are to be served first.
- The feast begins after the first round of meat stew, which is served on a leafy plate, called lapte, made from leaves.
- In the past, the seating arrangement used to be gender-biased, but that’s not the case anymore.
- The traditional alcohol is served in earthen bowls from a pot called antee.
- It is impolite to refuse the second and even third servings offered by the host at any Newari feast. If you think you’re getting stuffed, go at it slowly, because as soon as your plate is empty, the hosts will rush in to fill it up.
- It is quite impossible to drink more than two pegs of aaila, even for tipplers, so try to avoid the constant top-ups; fill up the container with water instead.
- Newari feasts can be a vegetarian’s worst nightmare so it is wise to inform the host before taking the seat.
Appetisers
Samay- baji: The standard (and the only) appetiser in any Newari feast is the Samay-baji--a combined snack of multiple food items, each with its own unique symbolism.
Baji–Chiura: Chiura is the staple content of any Newari feast. The hosts can be very generous while serving chiura, and they will often keep going unless otherwise signaled by the invitee.
Haku-musya– Dried black soybeans: Black soybeans are fried and seasoned, often with salt only, but sometimes with juliennes of ginger-garlic.
Lava-palu– Ginger-garlic bits: The most versatile spice-mix that is used in Newari household as a paste or in diced form; Lava-palu enhances the taste of the meal.
Khen – Hardboiled eggs: Serving hardboiled eggs along with sanya, who and ginger-garlic is the age-old norm of the Newari community, and it symbolises goodwill and good luck. The egg represents Brahma, the creator, and Vishnu, the protector.
Choyla– Grill-charred meat: The Newari version of barbecued meat, post-marinated with ginger-garlic relish, chilies, diced onions and garlic leaves.
Chatamari– Rice pancakes: Chatamaris are traditional Newari pancakes; they have a mild taste and make for a great energy-booster.
Woh– Lentil patties: Lentil patties, served with eggs and fish
Aluwala– Boiled, marinated potatoes: Boiled potatoes, marinated with oil salt, chili, sesame and cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds.
Bhutiwala– Boiled, marinated black-eyed beans: Prepared like aluwala, but this time using black-eyed beans.
Aaila– Traditional rice spirit: The women in the Newari household take great pride in this home-distilled liquor; it has a very strong taste, similar to that of vodka or tequila.
Thwon– Home-brewed rice alcohol: Made from rice through fermentation, it has a subtle taste ranging from sweet to sour.
The main course
If the appetisers alone were not rich enough, wait until you sit down cross-legged for the main feast, which takes a long time, with tireless hosts continuously offering several servings. The most commonly featured fares, in order, are:
Bhoyeachar–Spicy salad relish: The Newari version of mixed-veggie salad.
Dayeka-la– Buff stew: This tasty stew is prepared with the “religiously-offered” buffalo meat, which everyone is supposed to receive as a prasad.
Boo bakwa– White pea soup or kidney beans soup
Alu chwon– Mixed stew of potatoes, bamboo-shoots, dehydrated radish and black-eyed peas--a stew for the vegetarians.
Farsi tarkari- This sweet pumpkin relish is an integral part of Newari feasts.
Khaya la– Chicken stew or fried chicken; if the rest of the feast was not lavish enough, the inclusion of chicken further adds to the social status of the hosts.
Wauncha/tukwoncha– Seasonal green veggies.
Meekwa – Fenugreek gravy, which works to break down heavy food by enhancing metabolism.
The dessert
Dahubaji– Yogurt: The dessert for Newars during feasts means only one thing—yogurt with chiura. The dessert may include lalmohans or rasbaris—a modern-day addition to the feast.
Salad comes last
Sisapusa– Mixed salad: Marking the formal ending of every major feast, sisapusa is served, along with a pinch of salt and any final calls for liquor. Various fruits and raw
vegetables—apple, papaya, orange, raddish, cucumber and peas—making this a great note to end for this almost-royal feast.
Published: 04-05-2015
http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2015-05-01/an-insiders-guide-to-newari-feasts.html
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