Yomari: a taste of Nepal

Hey, there fellow foodies,
In our previous posts, we let you drool over the crunchy schnitzels and sexy benedicts from some of our favourite restaurants in Sydney. Today we shall travel further north and explore the delicacies of.... (drum rolls please)  The Asian Continent.
In this post, we will let you into the secrets of making one of the most cherished dishes of Nepalese (especially Newari )cuisine and that is:


YOMARI 


Yomari is a sweet speciality of the Newar Community in Nepal. Yomari is a steamed dumpling made from rice flour dough covering filled with rich and gooey "chaku"( a mixture of concentrated sugarcane juice, jaggery and ghee). It has been in the culture of Newari people for a long time since their ancestors decided to celebrate the end of the harvest (November-December) with the ritual of preparing yomari. Since then Yomari has been a symbol of culture for Newari people and chaku stained smiles for those who gobble it down.

Now let us guide you through the process of creating yomari and huge smiles.

First, the dough is prepared with rice flour and hot water. The dough is kneaded till soft and then covered with a muslin cloth for about 10 minutes.
While the dough is resting, chaku is heated till it gets to a liquid state. Sesame seeds are fried and added to it for a grainy texture.


Chaku:

A small amount of dough is taken and shaped, constantly dipping the fingers in a mixture of water and oil to keep it in shape.


It takes a lot of practice to get the perfect shape



 Slowly and softly

The shape must be that of a cone but with a narrow opening.
Chaku is then filled in the opening. It is then sealed by pinching the two sides together.


Almost there

Then it is steamed for about 15 minutes and served while hot.


Tadaaaa

Happiness is when you take the first bite and feel the sweetness melt in your mouth and tingles your ears

Author: Jemina Shrestha


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