Foodporn Friday: “What A Momo!”… Nom Nepali Fare

Welcome to Foodporn Friday – Nepali style! After a great section of Indian cuisine, we feast our eyes on the delights from the “Roof Of The World”

Today’s delicious treats start with the tasty staple of Nepal known widely as Dhal Bhat. Dhal Bhat basically means Lentils & Rice but it is much more than that. The Dhal is quite delicious and Dhal Bhat can consist of many other additions such as Spinach and Potatoes cook in spices served on a metal Thali dish. Tarkari is also another term used which means vegetarian curry and can also refer to Dhal Bhat.

Daal Bhat

Yummy Nepalese dumplings called Momos! These are of Tibetan origin and made from a simple water flour dough mixture and have become a delicacy in Asia. These Momos were made by the fair hands of my Nepalese homestay mother – Humaya! They are Buffalo Momo and my oh my are they delicious with a Tomato Achar sauce!

Another tasty treat that I was lucky to try just outside of Bhaktapur was Yak Yoghurt. Yes Yaks are those big hairy creatures you see roaming around on the TV in the Himalayas and are like a cross between a Cow, Bison and Ox. They are hardy beasts are able to survive the harsh cold of the mountains. They also produce tasty dairy products and I have to say Yak cheese is one of the heavenly cheseses I have eaten. Really good on a Korean BBQ! Try it if you are in Nepal!

Yak Yoghurt

Now these have to be the best Momos ever! Momos come in different forms from different fillings to the way they are cooked. Traditionally there are steamed, fried and kothey (steamed and then pan fried).  These little tasty tidbits are what is known as C-Momo (I think the C stands for Chili but htey are referred to as C-Momo). C-Momo are Kothey cooked and then fried with bell peppers (Capsicums). Onion and of course chili in a tomato sauce. They are soo delicious! It is definitely a part in ones mouth when you have a bite of one of these badboys!

Buff C-Momo

To finish off this weeks Foodporn Friday, I give you a clever take on the Momo. Available at the K-Too Beer & Steakhouse in Kathmandu, these are Momos with an apple filling that have been deep fried and come with a sauce! Not a bad idea!

Apple MoMo

Have you ever tried Momos or Yak Yoghurt? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment….

Welcome to another Foodporn Friday! Today is the second and final part of our Nepali food experience!

Llandudno Hostel

Independent Hostels UK

Llandudno Hostel is a great place to stay for families and backpackers alike. A charming vintage Victorian house, located in the town known as the “Queen of the Welsh resorts” is the humble abode where a comfortable and peaceful nights rest awaits…

Llandudno Hostel Entrance

Llandudno Hostel Room & Bed

Llandudno Hostel Bathroom

Llandudno Hostel Pricing

 

The entrance has a plethora of leaflets and brochures to help one decide what activities to do in and around Llandudno such as a walk along the pier or a cable car trip up to Great Orme as well as places to eat and drink.

Llandudno Hostel Entrance & Hall

 

There is also a massive lounge with ample space for big groups, lots of seating, books, games and a TV. I should also mention that this hostel had great Wi-Fi which is something I found hard to come by at other places I stayed.

Llandudno Hostel Lounge & Breakfast Area

Llandudno Hostel Dining Area

 

Situated on the ground floor, below the main lounge is the spacious breakfast area where guests receive a complimentary continental breakfast of tea/coffee, juices, cereal and toast with condiments. A pretty good addition I think considering the reasonable price of rooms.

Llandudno Hostel Hallway

 

Llandudno is a peaceful seaside town that is a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty that North Wales has to offer and with only 30 mins drive you can experience the captivating beauty of Snowdonia National Park as well as the tranquility of Llandudno which is also known as a fond holiday spot of Alice Lidell whom the Alice in Wonderland stories are based on. You could also take a drive to Caernarfon and Conwy and experience the history that spans centuries…

I enjoyed my stay here. With a great deal of activities to do in the area, Llandudno Hostel offers a perfect place to rest your head while visiting the region. The Hostel at first may not be appealing to younger travellers but this place has a lot of character including its friendly staff. A good location is a must for me when booking accomadation and with the hostel being only 2 mins walk to the train station, 5 mins walk to the beach and the long pier and 5 mins walk to the centre, what more could one ask for. I will definitely be back…

If you would like to book a room please click the link to check availability…

Book A Bed / Room

I hope you enjoy your stay…

Indpendent Hostels UK:

Llandudno hostel is part of the Independent Hostel UK group which is an association of Hostels run independently from each other but work as a collective group to promote fun, easy and enjoyable travel throughout the United Kingdom. Please check out their website above for more information.

Rating:

~ Atmosphere [7/10]

~ Cleanliness [9/10]

~ Comfort [8/10]

~ Decor [6/10]

~ Facilities / Rooms [8/10]

~ Internet / Wi-Fi [9/10]

~ Location [8/10]

~ Safety / Security [9/10]

~ Service / Staff [8/10]

~ Value For Money [8/10]

— Overall Rating: 8/10

Have you stayed at the Llandudno Hostel? What are your thoughts?

Posted by TomarHawk Tom

Welcome to the last in the Indian based Foodporn Friday for a while. Today’s tasty fare has a slightly spicier tone to it…

Beef Xacuti

An unusual dish you might think in India. Why is there “Beef” in a curry?

Well to answer that, I was eating this delightful dish in Goa. Goa is a christian state which is rarer in India since the main population are from the Hindu religion and Hindu’s believe that cows are holy, Goa therefore is one of the few places in India where you will find Beef in a curry and it is a tantalising rare treat especially this coconut based gravy.

Chicken Hariyali Kebab

 
Next is the Haryali Kebab with Coriander/Mint Chutney! Well this certainly packs a punch!

Picture the scene, after an overnight bus from Hampi and then on from Panjim to Colva to wait for an overnight train to Kerala, myself and my friends Derek and Dan decide to go for a spot of lunch and daring me decides to try something different. One bite of this green concoction and I thought my mouth had gone to hell! It burnt alot although it was damn tasty…. so I thought “Why Not!” and carried on munching away!

Also ordered was this dish – Chicken Cafreal! This is a Goan region speciality and I had never heard of this before. The curry has rum in it and if you look at the picture you will notice that there is a sauce underneath the main dish. This is infact extra rum that is lit in order to keep the food warm. I thought this was a pretty cool idea however the food itself was by no means cool in terms of spice! Once again this dish knocked the socks of me and to put it bluntly the end result a few hours later was slightly messy shall we say!

Lastly this Devil Chocolate food cake was divine! This was found at the Indian version of Starbucks known as “Cafe Coffee Day” and was a sort of refuge when you need a nice toilet and air conditioning and tasty coffee and dessert pick me ups! Nom Nom Nom! Not bad eh?

So that is it for Indian Foodporn Friday. Tune in next week as we move on to Nepalese treats!

Have you ever had a spicy dish that knocked the socks of YOU? If so let us know and pop a comment in the box below!

It’s that time again and after a slight hiatus, comes the return of Foodporn Friday!

Today I bring you deliciously srumptious and mouthwatering indian fare once again!

The good old trusted kebab. Not just any kebab though but Tandoori Murgh Kebab. The combination of spices and lightly tasty charring makes for one satisfying starter or snack!

This was possibly one of the best Indian curries I tried. After walking through the narrow alleys of Varanasi and watching the sunset ceremony over the River Ganges, my tour group and I went to the Dolphin Restaurant and this is where I order Gosht Kofta Nargisi which is basically a hard boiled egg coated in minced mutton (which is goat in India) and cooked in a tangy sauce. All I can say is Nom Nom Nom!

Poori Bhaji

Now this might not look like much, but it is possibly one of the best breakfasts I have had! Poori is basically a flatbread like a chapati but it is deep fried for a short time which makes it puffy and crispy. It is a great accompaniment with spiced potato (not hot, just full of flavour) and hence it is called “Poori Bhaji” meaning a mixture of vegetable & flatbread which is deep fried.

This is a second version of Poori Bhaji but fried for longer!

 I know this looks a bit thrown together but this was the nicest Poori Bhaji I had! I was in Varanasi and my tour guide Anurag (Anu for short) had been chatting to me about Indian food. He knew how much I loved it so he decided to take just myself to a very local place. Everyone stared at me as I was the only english person eating. He ordered two Poori Bhaji for us and what you see above is the food we got! It was Poori, with Potato, Dhal and the swirley orange things you see are Jalebi (Sometimes called Jabeli). These are made from wheat flour batter, deep-fried and coated in sugar syrup and are a common sweet in India. Anu showed me the right way to eat it. He said take a bit of Poori with a little Potato and dhal and then as you start to chew, pull off some Jalebi and eat it. It was great and added a sweet flavour to the taste! Defnitely a taste sensation!

It was a privilege to eat a local place with a local person. The guys even let me take a picture of them with their perfect Pooris and divine Jalebis!

Tune in next week for the final part of Foodporn Friday Indian style before we move onto the deliciousness that is Nepalese cuisine and Momo’s await!

Have you had Poori before? Let us know what you thought. Leave a comment below if you like.

Its time for some tasty treats again and this week on Foodporn Friday something smells a bit fishy… yes Karimeen fishy that is. Green Chromide or ‘Karimeen’ as it is called in Malayalam,  is a fish that hails from the southern most state of Kerala in India. Karimeen is considered a delicacy in Kerala and is mainly found in and around the Keralan backwaters region. Now for someone who is still getting to grips with fish, this was simply butter in my mouth and yummy to boot! Myself and two friends hired our own private houseboat and boy did we get treated like kings!

Keralan Boat Food With Kirameen Blackfish (4)

This is us being served by Raju our chef at lunch. On the menu was Keralan Chicken Curry, indian salad, Keralan rice (similar to Risotto), Dahl  (Lentil ) Curry and spiced Karimeen fish!

Keralan Boat Food With Kirameen Blackfish

Also some pretty tasty long green beans!

Keralan Boat Food With Kirameen Blackfish (2)

Alappuzha (Alleppey), Keralan Backwaters (20)

Now onto dinner and boy was it a treat. More Keralan rice, Dahl Curry, Mutton Curry, Chapati, Indian spiced potatoes!

Keralan Boat Food With Kirameen Blackfish (1)

There you have it! Possibly one of the tastiest meals I had in India! Karimeen Fish, Keralan Rice, Long green beans and Papads (Poppadums)! I am positively drooling and salivating at the site of this! Foodporn indeed!

What about you? Have you been to the Keralan Backwaters and tried Karimeen? If so let us know by leaving a comment below…

Welcomed to Part 2 of today’s Foodporn Friday! Kaju Curry is pretty moreish! Kaju means Cashew Nut and although strange you might think, it is pretty filling and the curry gravy sauce is quite delightful!

Kaju (Cashew Nut) Curry (2)

Served with Chapati this is a tasty alternative to regular veggie or chicken curry!

Kaju (Cashew Nut) Curry (1)

Again  try it it’s awesome!

Paneer Pakora & Coriander Mint Chutney

Oh yeah I like Paneer Pakora if you didn’t know! Yummo!

Have you had Kaju Curry? Let us know!