Cooking Classes in Kathmandu: What’s it Like to Take a Nepali Cooking Class
I have been visiting Nepal for many years but it took me a long time to start learning how to make Nepali food. One day, I decided it was time for me to learn some basic Nepali dishes, so I signed up for a cooking class in Kathmandu.
What I liked is that taking a cooking class is not only about learning the recipes but also learning about Nepali culture.
A Nepali cooking class generally lasts between 2-3 hours and you can choose to learn some of the most traditional Nepali dishes, such as momo, dal bhat or thupka. The price for the cooking classes in Nepal are around USD 10-50.
Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
There are many cooking schools in Kathmandu where you can learn some of the traditional Nepali dishes. Here I have collected some of the best rated cooking classes:
NEPAL COOKING SCHOOL
- Dishes: momo, dal bhat, curry
- Sign Up: Nepal Cooking School
The Nepali Cooking School is located in Paknajol (right next to Thamel) and you can choose between 3 different menus of what you’d like to cook.
🥟 Learn to make Nepali dishes and sign up to a cooking class here!
SASANE SISTERHOOD TREKKING AND TRAVEL
- Price: USD 50
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- When: every day at 12 pm or at the requested time
- Dishes: Momo
- Sign Up: Sasane Sisterhood Trekking and Travel
Do you want to learn to make momo and also support survivors of human trafficking? The cooking classes at Sasane was set up in 2016 and the proceedings go to combating human trafficking and empowering vulnerable women in Nepal.
COMMUNITY HOMESTAY NETWORK
- Price: USD 30
- Dishes: Momo
- Sign Up: Community Homestay Network
Cooking Classes in Lalitpur (Patan)
COOKING CLASS WITH ESTHER
- Price: USD 25
- Duration: 3 hours
- Dishes: Momo, dal bhat, thupka
- Sign Up: AirBnB Experience
This is the cooking class I did and so I can personally recommend this one. I even got my brother to take a cooking class here when he came to visit me and he really loved it.
Esther is really cool and easy going and apart from teaching you how to cook Nepali dishes, she also explains a lot about Nepali culture.
The cooking classes take place in Patan near the Patan Durbar Square, so if you sign up for a morning cooking session, you have the rest of the day to explore Patan.
At the end of the cooking class, you get to eat as much food as you can and the recipes are also sent to you.
Cooking Classes in Pokhara
Outside of Kathmandu, you can also find a couple of good cooking classes in Pokhara. Pokhara is a very popular holiday town, and it’s got everything you need for a holiday.
YOU AND I CAFE
- Price: Rs. 2,500-3,500/ USD 17-23 (depending on the dish)
- Duration: 3-4 hours
- Dishes: Momo, Thupka, Dal Bhat (you can select the dish of your choice when signing up for the class)
- Sign Up: In person at the You and I Cafe in Pokhara
You and I Cafe is an affordable restaurant at Lakeside, Pokhara and they also offer cooking classes every day.
If you are interested in taking a cooking class, just walk in and check the options with the staff/owner of the cafe. Usually, you have to book the cooking class the day before and you can choose between a variety of Nepali dishes to learn to cook.
NIRVANA CAFE
- Price: USD 10
- Duration: 2 hours
- Dishes: Momo
- Sign Up: In person at the Nirvana Cafe in Pokhara
I have not been to the Nirvana Cafe but its cooking classes have been recommended by many people. You can check out their reviews here!
MOMO LESSON WITH DOLMA
- Dishes: Momo
- Sign Up: through Facebook
The momo classes by Dolma have been recommended by a lot of travellers who did cooking classes in Pokhara. You can contact her directly through Facebook for booking a momo cooking class.
What’s it Like to Take a Nepali Cooking Class
Ok, so you might wonder, what’s it like to take a Nepali cooking class? It is a lot of fun and you learn so much more than just following a recipe!
Two of the most popular Nepali dishes are momo and dal bhat. If you ask any Nepali what their favourite dish is, they will say buff momo. So if you are in Nepal, you should really learn how to make momo!
What’s it Like to Make Momo?
For my cooking class, I decided to focus on learning to make momo and dal bhat. My cooking teacher has prepared the ingredients and everything was set up by the time I arrived.
I have never made momo before the cooking class so it was a totally new experience for me.
When making momo, you learn that there are different techniques to shape the momo and being able to shape them properly is the most important part. Otherwise they can open up and fall apart while being steamed.
The three popular shapes of momo are “leaf”, “half moon” or “circle” shaped. In the beginning, you just practice shaping the momo and once you get the hang of it, then you can start to fill the momo with the actual filling.
Overall, I really enjoyed learning to make momo and dal bhat. My cooking teacher was very patient and easy going, it felt like making momo with a friend.
After the cooking class, you also get the recipes and after you go home, it is a nice treat to make Nepali food for friends and family.
Nepali Recipes
Momo and dal bhat may be the most popular dishes in Nepal but the Nepalese cuisine is much more than that. Different castes in Nepal have slightly different dishes, and if you want to experiment, I recommend trying Newari food.
- Kwati Soup Recipe: Kwati soup is made out of 9 different beans and it is a great soup for cold, winter days.
- Aloo Sandheko Recipe: Aloo Sandheko is like a spicy, potato salad and is very quick to make.
Other Classes in Kathmandu (Non-Cooking)
Thangka Painting Class
Thangka paintings are Tibetan Buddhist paintings originating from 2,500 years ago. A thangka painting usually depicts a Buddhist deity, an excerpt from the life of Buddha, the wheel of life or a mandala.
Bhaktapur is famous for Thangka paintings, and it’s one of the best places to take a Thangka painting class.
Vipassana Meditation
The Vipassana meditation is said to have originated with the teachings of Gautam Buddha 2,500 years ago and then it spread throughout northern India.
There are many Dhamma Shringa Vipassana Meditation Centres around the world where you can sign up to a free, 10-day course. I did a Vipassana course in Kathmandu, and while the first few days were extremely hard, I was able to complete the whole course!
Singing Bowl Sessions
Tibetan singing bowls are a big thing in Nepal. If you are interested to try a singing bowl sessions, there are 2 places in Kathmandu that offer free singing bowl sessions:
- FREE: Nepal Singing Bowls and Healing Centre: every day: 9:45 am, 4:30 pm
- DONATION-BASED: Nirvana Singing Bowl: every day: 10 am, 5 pm
FAQs: Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
What is the most famous food in Kathmandu?
The most famous food in Kathmandu, and all of Nepal, is the dal bhat. Dal Bhat is made of rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry and meat. It is a staple dish which is prepared daily in almost all households.
How much does a meal cost in Nepal?
The price of a meal in local restaurants starts from around Rs. 180-200. You can find vegetarian thupka or vegetarian momo for around Rs. 200/plate and vegetarian dal bhat from Rs. 250.
What meat is not eaten in Nepal?
One of the main religions in Nepal is the Hindu religion. In the Hindu religion, cows are holy animals, thus, eating beef is forbidden in Nepal.
How much is dal bhat in Nepal?
The price of vegetarian dal bhat generally starts at Rs. 200-250 in local restaurants, while, non-veg dal bhat starts from around Rs. 300-350.
If you go to fancier restaurants, the price of dal bhat can be around Rs. 500-900.
Conclusion
Taking a cooking class in Nepal is not only about learning the recipes and ways of making the dish, it is so much more. During the class, you also learn a lot about the culture of Nepal.
A Nepali cooking class generally lasts between 2-3 hours and you can choose to learn some of the most traditional Nepali dishes, such as momo, dal bhat or thupka.
The price of the cooking classes in Nepal are around USD 10-50.
Taking a cooking class is not only great to learn some new skills and recipes, but also to immerse yourself in a new culture.
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