Lists of most common fruits of Nepal (Nepali-English)

Lists of most common fruits of Nepal (Nepali-English)

(Phalphulharu)

Aanp - Mango

Ainselu - Raspberry (yellow, red, black)

Alubukhara - Plum

Amalaa  - Gooseberry

Ambaa or Ammaa - Guava

Anaar - Pomegrante

Angoor - Grape

Anjir - Fig

Aru – Peach

Bayar - Indian Plum, Chinese Date

Bel - Wood Apple

Bhogate -Pummelo, Pomilo

Bhuin Katahar – Pineapple

Bimiro – Citron

Chaaksi -  Mild Orange

Chutro – Barberry

Chinia Naspaati – Chinese Pear

Daakh – Grape

Daarim – Pomegranate

Haade Bayer - Bead Plum

Haade Okhar - Thick-shell black walnut

Haluaabed - Persimmon

Jaamun – Black Plum, Java Plum

Junaar - Junar Orange

Jyaamir - Lemon (very sour)

Kaathe Jyamir – Rough Lemon – (Citrus jambhiri)

Kaalo Jyamir – Rough Lemon (Chook-amilo Lemon)

Kaagati - Lime - (green)

Kaaphal -Bay-Berry

Kera - Banana

Khajoor - Date

Kharbooza - Musk Melon

Khurpaani - Apricot

Kimbu - Mulberry (black, red)

Lapsi -Nepalese Hog Plum

Lichi - Lichee Fruit

Loquat –Loquats

Maushambi - Orange (sweet)

Mayal - Wild Pear

Muntalaa – Kumquat

Nariwal - Coconut

Nashpaati - Pear

Nibua  - Lemon (yellow)

Paiyun - Cherry

Papitaa or Mewaa - Papaya

Ram Phal – Custard Apple

Rukh Kathar - Jack Fruit

Sati Bayar – Pleasantly sour-sweet fruit (Nepal sumac)

Sariphaa - Custard Apple or Sugar Apple

Shayau - Apple

Suntalaa - Tangerine

Tarbooza - Watermelon  

A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 1 of 3)
A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 2 of 3)
A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 3 of 3)

Lichi Fruit - (Lichee)

A Nepali road side vendor prepares to sell her freshly picked lichee fruit.

Lemon (Nibuwa)

Pear (Nashpaati) 

Colorful fruits and vegetable market - fresh starts here! 
Something for everyone!

Pummelo or Pomelo - (Bhogate)

Pomegranate - (Anaar or Darim)

Close up view of Pomegranate - (Anaar or Darim)

Persimmon Tree and Fruits - (Haulabed Rukh ma Phaleko)

 Persimmon - (Haluabed)

Custard Apples - (Sarifa)

Selling freshly peeled papaya and pineapple in front of Ratna Park area of Kathmandu.

A street vendor selling the most delicious "Pokhara ko suntala"  (loose-skin tangerine-mandarins) from Pokhara.  So sweet and flavorful and easy to peel and split into segments.

A road-side vendor attends to a clients and counts her change.

Fresh tangerine for sale

A Suntala (orange) vendor waits for customers at a busy intersection.

Guava - (Ambaa or Ammaa) 

Gooseberry, the medicinal fruit - (Amalaa)

A woman sells freshly picked Thulo Amalaa (Indian Gooseberry) at a corner of a busy Kathmandu market.

Indian Gooseberry on tree (Amala ko Rukh)

Chinese Date or Indian Plum (Bayar) - The fruit is sour when immature, but very sweet and flavorful when ripe.  Botanical name - Zigyphus maurititiana Lamk (source: An introduction to Nepalese Food Plants).

Bimiro - Citron

 Indian Gooseberry - (Amalaa),  Red Bayar and Sati Bayar in the back – Pleasantly sour-sweet tiny fruit.

Banana - (Nepali Kera)

A fresh fruit seller is waiting for customers in a busy open market - fresh watermelon and papaya.

Photo of a busy vegetable market during festival season.

Taking a picture of two women selling Peanuts (Badaam) in a popular tourist area near Basantapur, Kathmandu.

Why two pictures of the peanut vendors?  They were not happy with my previous shot, so they made me take another photo......look at them posing!!!!

The two ladies again requested me to take a close-up picture of their local peanut.

Jack Fruit - (Rukh Kathar)

Grapes - (Angoor, Daakh) 

A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 1 of 3)
A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 2 of 3)
A Visual Guide to Fruits of Nepal - (English-Nepali with Images)  -  (Part 3 of 3)

Copyright Information

All information on the Taste of Nepal blog are restricted use under copyright law. You may not re-use words, stories, photographs, or other posted material without the explicit written consent and proper credit to Jyoti Pathak. If you would like to use any materials here, please contact me.

Tree Tomato - Tyammatar

Tree Tomato - Tyammatar

Tyammatar is the Nepali name for "tree tomato" or "tamarillo," an attractive plum shaped fruit with meaty pulp and seeds.  It has a tough, bitter skin and is very tart, but flavorful when ripe.  Despite its appearance, it is not a true garden tomato although it resembles a medium-size pear tomato.  It is generally considered a native to the Andes of Peru, Chile, Ecuador, but also is grown in New Zealand, Australia and Asia.

 

Images of tree tomato - Botanical name of this fruit is Cyphomamdra betacea (Source: An introduction to Nepalese Food Plants).

In Nepal, the ripe Tyammatar is used primarily to make chutney, similar to Nepali tomato chutney.  To prepare chutney, the fruit is first roasted or boiled, the outer skin is removed and the pulp and seeds are seasoned with herb and spices. 

Selecting some ripe and flavorful tyammatar at Nepali vegetable markets.  There are many varieties of of tree tomato, comes in different size, shape, and color. Tyammatar is grown in the home garden, mostly in the central hilly regions of Nepal.  It is not very common in Tarai regions.  Photo taken at the roadside stall near Indra Chok area, the oldest market place in Kathmandu.

Laakhamari (Newari Ceremonial Sweet Bread) - लाखामरी

Laakhamari (Newari Ceremonial Sweet Bread) - लाखामरी
Laakhamari is described as a crunchy-flaky texture bread, prepared for special ceremonial occasions.  The sweet bread resembles a coiled, round, large twisted-rope shaped (like wreath) and is prepared from rice, wheat flour, and black gram lentils.

The special bread comes from the Newar community, one of the oldest ethnic groups in the capital valley of Kathmandu, who have an important cultural tie in the country.  Although laakhamari is typical Newari sweet bread, it has gained popularity with many other Nepalese ethnic group over the years.

The ingredients and preparation techniques of laakhamari is an ancient culinary art, which has been passed down orally for centuries.  As a traditional festive dish, it is specially prepared during Newari wedding ceremonies.  Before the formal marriage ceremony, (gwe), the family members of the groom party signals the approval of the forthcoming marriage by sending freshly prepared laakhamari, with other sweets, fruits, and flowers to the prospective bride's family.  At the auspicious occasion, laakhamari is also given to relatives and friends to announce the wedding.  The size and the shape of the bread varies, with larger ones sent to closer relatives to honor them and smaller ones sent to the invited guests.

Laakhamari is prepared with pre-soaked and ground rice, ground black urad beans, wheat flour, butter, and water.  All the ingredients are mixed together to form a pourable batter.  It is then shaped into round coiled design, deep-fried in a large Nepali frying pan until light golden brown.  The finished product is allowed to rest before it is glazed with light icing to create translucent satiny finish.  The sweet bread is delicious by itself or  served with other ceremonial foods.  The bread keeps well for at least a month at room temperature. 
 
Making this bread at home is glorious undertaking.  It is time-consuming and requires extra effort, equipment, and skills.  It may take more than a couple of hours to prepare just one laakhamari  even for skilled cook.  These days, the bread is not often prepared at home, but pre-made laakhamari can be found at specialty sweet shops (Haluwai ko Pasal) or can be made to order.  Some traditional sweet shops has been owned and operated by the same family for generations and they take pride in their bread.

I have never tried to make this bread at home, but only watched how it is made in the sweet shops, and wanted to give a brief description about a centuries-old traditional art form.

Photo of unglazed laakhamari bread

 Glazed laakhamari bread

Traditional Newari Mari displayed at The Yetkha Mithai Pasal (south of Naradevi temple) -  I would like to thank Mr. Suresh Balami, and his brother Gyanu Balami.... for taking their valuable time to show me how to make laakhamari bread.

Preparation - making sure the batter is in right pouring consistency.

... batter goes into a home-made (re-usable) double-strength piping bag.

 ... when the oil has reached its correct temperature - all ready to go.

... squeezing and pressing the batter - first into round shape.

... then coil-shaped rounds - it is awesome watching the shaping of laakhamari..... excellent job Mr. Gyanu Balami!

...  took him less than 1 minute to finish the process.

... frying until golden brown.

... let it fry.....bubble, bubble..

Special order of laakhamari bread - is being prepared for a local wedding ceremony.

The finished product is allowed to rest before before it is glazed.

Waiting in a line to be glazed

Display of laakhamari and other sweets at  Shree Purna Ashok Bhandar, Maru Tole - one of the oldest sweet shop in Kathmandu

Smaller size laakhamari

"Sweet Tooth in Nepal" by Leah Olson - December 2010 ECS Magazine - very informative article on this traditional delicacy -  please click here to read more.. ......

Copyright Information

All information on the Taste of Nepal blog are restricted use under copyright law. You may not re-use words, stories, photographs, or other posted material without the explicit written consent and proper credit to Jyoti Pathak. If you would like to use any materials here, please contact me.