List of most common vegetables in Nepal (Nepali-English)

List of most common vegetables in Nepal (Nepali-English)

Vegetables (Tarkaari)

Nepal has a complex topography with hills and flat lands, and the Kathmandu valley is renowned for the seasonal vegetables grown in its fertile soil.  Vegetables (tarkaari) are one of the most important foods in the daily Nepali diet, and a typical Nepali meal consists of rice, lentils, and some kind of side vegetable dish.

The most common vegetables include green beans, cauliflowers, cabbage, eggplants, greens (mustard, spinach), okra, potatoes, Nepali radish, squash, tomatoes and many other seasonal local vegetables.  Due to the scarcity of cultivated land in many rural and hilly areas of Nepal, fresh vegetables are limited, so locals tend to consume root vegetables as well as dried and fermented vegetables.  Generally, green leafy vegetables such as spinach and mustard greens are eaten daily in large quantities wherever available.  Vegetables are also made into pickles, salads, snacks, and desserts.

During the peak season, you may see a local farmer balancing a bamboo pole across his shoulders, holding two wicker woven baskets full of freshly picked vegetables, heading to the market.  In Nepali vegetable markets, one can experience the proud skills of vendors arranging every tiny space with a dramatic display of vegetables and fruits.  Greens, such as spinach, mustard, fresh coriander, and garden cress are neatly tied in small bundles and piled up in a beautiful way.  A variety of dry vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and shallots are skillfully arranged in a wicker trays, or baskets or in jute-burlap sacks.  On many street corners, vendors set up small stands with the fresh fruits and vegetables such as green gooseberry, labsi (Hog plum), guava, or tangerines.  The vegetables are sold in the markets weighted in a hand-held local scale, known as taraaju, which comes in a variety of sizes and forms.  Measurements are done in kilograms.  Most Nepali households do not store vegetables, so they are bought fresh every day.

In my next blog, I will try to post more information, scientific names,  and the pictures (when available) of Nepali vegetables. 

·     Alu – (Potato)

·     Aduwa - (Ginger)

·     Baabari - (Mint)

·     Banda Gobi - (Cabbage)

·     Barelaa - (Balsam Apple)

·     Bethe ko Saag - (Lamb’squarter) - (Chenopodium album)

·     Bhantaa - (Brinjal, Egg plant, Aubergine)

·     Bhende Khursani - (Bell Pepper, Sweet Pepper)

·     Bungo - (com. name – Plantain, Banana)

·     Brokauli - (Broccoli)

·     Bodi - (Beans)

·     Chatel - (Momordica cochinchinensis)

·     Chamsoor - (GardenCress)

·     Chanaa, Hariyo - (Green Bengal Gram)

·     Chau - (Mushrooms)

·     Chichindo - (Serpent or Snake Gourd)

·     Chayapi - (Shallot)

·     Dhaniya - FreshCoriander

·     Dundu ko Saag - (Chinese Leek - Allium Tubersum Rotter)

·     Gajar -(Carrot)

·     Ghiraula - (SpongeGourd)

o    Paate Ghiraula - (Ridgedor Ribbed Gourd)

·     Golebheda -  (Tomato)

o    Sano Golbheda - (Cherry Tomato)a

o    Tumbe Golbheda - (Pear tomato)

·     Guliyo Moola – Chukander - ( Beet Roots)

·     Gyanth Govi - Kohlrabi

·     Imli - (Tamarind)

·     Iskush - (ChayoteSquash)

·     Kaankro - (Cucumber)

o    Asare Kaankro – Common Field Cucumber 
       Bhadaure Kaankro – Garden Cucumber 

o    Kakdi - Snake or Serpent Cucumber

·     Karkalo - (Taaro Leaves)

·     Karela, Tito - (Bitter Gourd, Balsam Pear)

·     Katahar - (Jack Fruit)

·     Kauli, Phulgobhi - (Cauliflower)

·     Kerau or Matar - (Garden Peas)

o    Sano Kerau - (Field Peas)

·     Khursani - (Chili Pepper)

o    Bhende Khursani - (Bell Pepper)

o    Dhokre Khursani - (Long Pepper)

o    Chuchche Khursani - (Cone Pepper)

o    Jhine Khorsani - (Cluster Pepper)

o    Jyanmara Khursani - (Cherry Pepper)

o    Jire Khorsani - (Bird’s Eye Chili, Bird Pepper)

·     Koiralo (Seto or Rato) - Bauhinia - white or pink)

·     Kubhindo - (Ash Gourd,Wax Gourd, Chinese Melon)

·    Kurilo - (Common Asparagus)

·     Lapsi - (Nepalese HogPlum)

·     Lashun - (Garlic)

·     Lauka - (Bottle Gourd, Calabash)

·     Lunde ko Saag -(Pigweed)

·     Methi ko Saag - (Fenugreek Leaf)

·     Moola - (Radish)

·     Moola ko Saag - (RadishGreens)

·     Moola ko Duku -  (Radish Shoots)

·     Nigalo Tusha - (Himalayan Bamboo)

·     Niuro - (FiddleheadFern)

·     Paalungo - (Spinach)

·     Parwar - (Pointed Gourd,Patol)

·     Pharsi - (Gourd, Pumpkin)

·     Pharsi ko Munta - (Pumpkin Shoots)

·     Pidaalu - (Co-co Yam)

·     Poi Saag - (Indian Spinach)

·     Pyaz - (Onion)

·     Raamtoriya - (Okra, Ladies Finger)

·     Raayo ko Sag - (LeafMustard)

·     Raayo ko Duku - (MustardShoots)

·     Salegum - (Turnip)

·     Salegum ko Saag - (Turnip Greens)

·     Sakhar Khand - (Sweet Potato)

·     Sunp - (Dill)

·     Simi - (Beans)

o    Hiunde Simi - (Hyacinth Bean)

o    Tarware Simi - (Jack Bean, Sward Bean)

o    Kause Simi - (Velvet Bean, Horse-Eye Bean)

·     Sipligan - (Garlic Pear)

·     Sishnu ko Saag -(Stinging Nettle)

·     Tarul – (Casavaa, Tapioca)

o    Ghar Tarul - (Yam)

o    Bana Tarul - (Wild Edible Yam)

·     Taama Bans - (Bamboo)

·     Thotne - (Vegetable Smart Weed) - (Polygonum)

·     Tinda - Round Gourd

·     Tori - (Indian Rape)

·     Tyammatar - (TreeTomato)

Index of Green Leafy Vegetables - Hariyo Saag-Paat Haru - (हरियो साग-पात हरु)

The following list of Hariyo Saag in Nepali-English, will further help you to understand more on the vegetables of Nepal.  I am so glad to be able to compile the list and present to you in my blog. In the following list as well as in my previous blog on "the visual guide to the greens," I have not been able to match some of the English name of the greens. I wish I had a good plant-identification guide book about Nepali greens.  I trust the index is useful to you, but please let me know in the comment section of the blog what I missed.  I would deeply appreciate your feedback - so that I can revise and make corrections.

(Nepali to English)
Baabari, Pudina - (बाबरी  को साग) - Common Mint
Bethe ko Saag - (बेथे को साग) - Lamb's Quarter
Bengali Palungo ko Saag - (बंगाली पालुंगो) -  Beet root
Bhirin ko Saag - (भिरिन को साग)
Bhote Paalungo - (भोटे पालुंगो) - Garden Sorrel, Bladder Dock
Bok Choy or Paak Choy -  (बक चोय अथवा पाक चोय)
Chatel ko Munta ko Saag - (चटेल को मुन्टा को साग) -  Indian Gourd, Kantola Shoots
Chhayapi ko Saag - (छायापी को साग) - Shallot Greens
Chamsoor ko Saag - (चम्सूर को साग) - Garden Cress
Dhania ko Paat or Saag (Hariyo) -  (धनियाँको साग) - Fresh Coriander or Cilantro
Dundu ko Saag - (दुन्डू को साग) - Chinese Leek
Gante Moola ko Saag or Dalle Moola ko Saag - (गानते मुलाको साग, डल्ले मुलाको साग) - Turnips Greens
Gobre Paalungo ko Saag - (गोब्रे पालुंगो को साग) -  Spinach Variety
Gande ko Saag - (गन्दे को साग)
Halhale ko Saag - (हलहले को साग)
Iskush ko Munta ko Saag -  (इस्कुश को मुन्टा को साग) - Chayote Greens
Karkalo ko Paat -  (कर्कलो को पात, कर्कलो को साग) - Taro Leaves - Karkalo-Gaava-Pidhaalu - (कर्कलो-गाभा-पिँडालु)
Kal Tori ko Saag -  (कालतोरी को साग) - Black Mustard
Kane Saag - (काने साग)
Kaauli ko Saag - (काउली को साग) - Cauliflower Greens
Karmaiya Saag - (कर्मैया को साग) - Water Bindweed, Swamp Cabbage
Keraau ko Muntaa ko Saag - (केराउ को मुन्टा को साग) - Pea Vine Shoots
Kel ko Saag -  (क़ेल को साग) - Kale
Laal Saag - (लाल साग) - Amaranth
Latte to Saag - (लट्टे को साग) - Amaranth
Laaphe Saag - लाफे को साग - Vegetable Mallow  Poppy Mallow
Lasun ko Saag - (लसुन को साग) - (Green Garlic)
Lunde ko Saag - (लुन्ड़े को साग) - Redroot Pigwood - (different variety Pahadi Lunde, Kande Lunde)
Lataree ko Saag - (लटरी को साग)
Methi ko Paat or Saag - (मेथी को साग) -  Fenugreek leaves
Moolaa (Mulaa) ko Saag - (मूला को साग) - Radish Greens
Moolaa (Mulaa) ko Duku re Saag - (मूला को दुकु र साग) - Radish Shoots and Leaves
Neuro - (न्यूरो को साग) - Edible Fern Shoots
Phaapar ko Saag - (फापर को साग) - Buck-wheat Greens
Patuwaa ko Saag - (पटुवा को साग) - (Tossa Jute)
Pharsi ko Muntaa - (फर्सी को मुन्टा) - Pumpkin Vine shoots
Pooi or Poi ko Saag - (पोई को साग) - Indian Spinach, Malabar Night Shade
Pahaadi Lunde - (पहाडी लुन्ड़े को  साग)
Paalungo ko Saag - (पालुंगो को साग) - Common Spinach
Raayo ko Saag - (रायो को साग) - Leaf Mustard
Raayo ko Duku re Saag - (रायो को दुकु र साग) - Leaf Mustard Shoots
Saunf or Sunp ko Saag - (सुप को साग) - Fresh Dill Greens
Salgam ko Saag - (सलगम को साग) - Kohlrabi Greens
Sishnu or Sisnu ko Saag - (सिस्नु को साग) - Nettle Greens - (Lekali Sisnu, Thulo Sisnu, Bhangre Sisnu)
Sim Rayo - (सिम रायो) - Water Cress
Sarwari Saag - (सर्वारी साग) - Quail Grass
Siplikan - सिप्लिकान - Garlic Pear
Salad ko Saag or Paat - (लेट्तुस -  सलाद को साग) - Curly Leaf Lettuce
Tori ko Saag - (तोरी को साग)- Indian Rape
Tike Paalungo - (टिके पालुंगो) - Garden Beet

To find out some of the vegetables that are not included in my leafy vegetable blog or Index,  please  go to the field survey on the "Traditional, Neglected Vegetables of Nepal: The Sustainable Utilization for Meeting Human Needs" ......In total, 184 traditional vegetable species were recorded in the field survey. Species composition and numbers differed along the elevation gradient". About 50 traditional vegetable species were documented in the market surveys......to read the research paper, please check here....http://www.tropentag.de/2007/abstracts/links/Kehlenbeck_Cah3sjNR.pdf