Lucy Cheeley

The phrase “Dal Bhat Power: 24 Hours” was abundant on tee shirts in the streets of Kathmandu. Little shops with beautiful garments, hiking gear, singing bowls, and other goods lined the busy narrow streets. Every so often I would see this phrase and wonder, what is Dal Bhat and how does it power the Nepali people? 

Dal Bhat originates from Nepal and other regions of the Indian subcontinent. The name “Dal” meaning lentil soup, and “Bhat” meaning steamed rice, the dish at first seems straightforward. However, with a large variety in the curries, sauces, and sides to mix in, the dish has endless combinations of flavor.

I had my first Dal Bhat on the drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park. We had been driving on very rough mountainous roads for four hours before we stopped for lunch. The restaurant was in a small town on the edge of a cliff surrounded by the large rolling hills of Nepal. We went to the bathrooms to wash our hands before sitting down at a table. Dal Bhat is served on a silver circular platter with rice in the middle surrounded by fixings to mix in. The dish was served with a choice of either chicken or mutton, with a variety of curries and vegetables. It comes with a little bowl of lentil soup that you pour on the rice and mix in. Dal Baht is traditionally eaten with your hands, mixing small portions of rice together with the dal and curry then scooping it up and popping it into your mouth with your thumb. The simple dish had a variety of flavors from the delicious curry. Afterwards, we washed our hands and went back on the road to Chitwan. Dal Bhat is very filling and inexpensive in Nepal. Everything except for the meat was unlimited, ensuring that no one left hungry. Five of us ate for less than 2000 Nepali Rupees, or the equivalent of $15 USD. 

Dal Bhat makes for a truly balanced diet, consisting of a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients. The dish is very pure, with little to no processed foods involved in making the dish. Dal Bhat is more than just a mound of rice. Mixed with curry, vegetables, and dal, all the pieces come together to accompany one another and enhance the taste and aroma. Dal Bhat is eaten often twice a day, and for some households for every meal, giving rise to the phrase, “Dal Bhat Power: 24 Hours.” 

I talked to Shashank Poudel, resident of Nepal and expert Dal Bhat consumer, eating approximately 25,915 Dal Bhat in his lifetime. He says that people here start eating Dal Bhat at around 6 months of age, often starting with mashed rice and milk. Having lived in Ithaca, NY, for a couple of years he had a lot to say about the differences between western and eastern cuisine. He says, “Cooking in the west is very mechanized. Everything must be the same every single time you eat a dish. That’s what I like about Dal Bhat. It sounds like a pretty flat food but each time its cooked it’s a little bit different.” He also commented on the seasonality of Dal Bhat in the variety of vegetables being better at different times of the year. Dal Bhat is a taste of home for many living in the area. Shashank says, “I missed Dal Bhat so much when I lived in Ithaca. I tried to make it with US ingredients, but it just wasn’t the same.”

I then asked Shashank about his thoughts on US dining culture, and what it’s like to eat with a fork and knife, when he grew up in a culture where eating Dal Bhat with your hands is the norm. He comments, “Eating food with your hands tastes way better than eating with a fork and knife. The end of the plate is the best part, you take your finger and scrape the plate. It’s where all the flavor and spices are.” He then told me the Nepali saying, “If you eat, you get full, if you lick, you get fat” referring to the end of the plate licking up all the butter and spices from the meal. He said that Dal Bhat is causing obesity in parts of Nepal. Dal Bhat was made at a time where most people worked in the fields as farmers, however, today, most people don’t have the same type of laborious work. On the other hand, Dal Bhat is great because you can control the portion size, having as little or as much as you want. Shashank says that when mutton curry is served, it’s often hard to control yourself because it’s often a favorite. 

Here, living at the NTNC BBC, I too find myself on a diet consisting mostly of Dal Bhat. Every Dal Bhat that I’ve eaten has been delicious and balanced. You would think that eating the same meal twice a day would get old, but so far, I find it to be comforting knowing generally what I’m getting with the added element of surprise when it comes to what sides they serve. Living in Nepal for a month, I now understand what it means to be powered by Dal Bhat.