Thali For Son-In-Law, King Of Yoghurt, Jhol Momo: Discovering Authentic Nepalese Food In Gurugram

If you love spicy food, you are going to love Nepali food. This one is not for the faint-hearted. It is quite an experience to sample Nepali dishes, and what better place to try them than a restaurant from Nepal itself? If you live in Delhi-NCR, there is no need to travel far; the food has already come to you.

Jimbu Thakali in Gurugram brings the authentic taste of Nepal to India with its traditional Thakali cuisine. I learnt that the Thakali are an ethnically Tibetan-Burmese people native to the Kali Gandaki River Valley in the Mustang district of northern Nepal.

The Thakali adapted high-altitude ingredients with spices and produce from the lowlands, creating a cuisine that is both hearty and refined. This is where the first half of the restaurant's name, Jimbu, comes from. Jimbu is a traditional Himalayan herb used in Thakali cooking as an aromatic seasoning.

During my visit to this family-style restaurant, I tried the following dishes:

Mushroom Choila

This vegetarian appetiser is smoky and spicy. While the mushrooms are succulent, the flavours are bold, thanks to a generous use of aromatic Nepali spices, ginger and garlic.

Kanchyamba

This crunchy vegetarian starter is super addictive. A deep-fried dough snack that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, it is quite like chips and makes for a great snack. It is served with a special Nepali spice preparation called Timur ko Chhop (a tongue-tingling dry spice seasoning and chutney made primarily with timur (Sichuan pepper), dried chillies, cumin, coriander and salt).

Kanchyamba uses buckwheat flour, a grain widely consumed in Himalayan regions. This gives the snack a slightly nutty taste and a denser, more wholesome texture.

Chicken And Veg Jhol Momo

Jhol momo originated in Nepal, so I could not skip trying these at an authentic Nepali restaurant. Safe to say, the popular Delhi cafe-style jhol momo is not quite the same. These were served in a yellow jhol, the consistency of which was a little too thick for my liking.

Wood-Fired Cholia Wings

I dared myself to finish these super-hot chicken wings. In a world where Korean spicy food has become all too familiar, spice lovers are missing out if they haven't tried these Wood-Fired Cholia Wings. These are chicken wings and drumsticks baked in a wood-fired oven and marinated with classic Newari spices (Newari cuisine originates from the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal).

The most exciting part of the meal for me was the Cheli Jwai Thakali Thali, both for its dishes and its story.

Much like in India, food in Nepal is more than nourishment; it is an expression of love, family and connection.

The Cheli Jwai Thakali Thali is the meal families lovingly prepare when a daughter (Cheli) and her husband (Jwai) visit home. It is a way to pamper the son-in-law and make him feel extra special.

The thali is not just a meal; it is a gesture that reminds you that home is always where love and food are shared in abundance.

A Thakali thali is a complete meal served with small bowls arranged around a mound of white rice. Here is the incredible variety of components it includes:

• Rice
• Ghee (poured over the rice before serving)
• Dal
• Mushroom curry
• Chicken curry
• Mutton curry
• Saag (served like pak choi)
• Aloo Jimbu
• Papad
• Fried karela
• In-house mooli ka achar
• Gundruk ko Achar (a spicy and sour salad or pickle made from fermented and dried leafy greens)
• Tomato chutney
• Fresh salad
• Fried fish
• Paneer curry with peas
• Gulab Jamun in a bowl of yoghurt (served exclusively with this thali)

The thali tastes even better when you eat with your hands.

Desserts

If the appetisers are on fire, the desserts are sweet and comforting, like a hug.

Juju Dhau

Juju Dhau translates to the "King of Yoghurt". This is a creamy yoghurt in the classic Newari style, served chilled in a glass. The taste is lightly sweet, and the texture is silky, almost like custard.

Turns out, you can also find fabulous desserts beyond Nepal here.

Cheesecake Chimichanga

If you love cheesecake, wait till you try this dessert. A rich, creamy cheesecake mixture made with cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla extract is filled inside a soft flour tortilla. The result is a burst of flavours with every bite. It is a must-try, and one that I absolutely fell in love with.

Churros

A classic fried-dough sweet, the churros were delicious, but the Cheesecake Chimichanga completely stood out.

Mocktails

You will need these to cool down after the spicy appetisers:

• Mickey Mouse: Made with chilled cola, vanilla whipped cream, cherry and vanilla ice cream, it is one of the kids' favourite picks.
• Mango Mule: This beverage combines mango with fresh cucumber, ginger and honey.
• Blue Blossom: Vanilla ice cream is blended with 7UP and Blue Curacao to create this nostalgic ice cream soda.

Overall, the restaurant can be a great place to explore Nepali food. Try new dishes, experiment, get a shock from the spice levels, fall in love with the comforting dal bhat, and end up ordering too many desserts.

• Where: LG 27-31, M3M 65th Avenue, R3, Sector 65, Gurugram, Haryana 122101, India
• Cost For Two: Rs 1,500 (approx.)