The cuisine of Nepal is distinct to the different ethnic and linguistic groups and is influenced by the region of Nepal they lived and sourced ingredients from. The cuisine of the Khas, for instance, that is built around lentils, rice, and vegetables (Dal bhaat tarkari) as a staple meal is different from Himalayan cuisine which is heavy on stews, soup noodles (Thupka), and other warming dishes that are adapted to the cold weather and less fertile yield of that region. The Newars or Nepami are an ethnolinguistic group who are believed to have settled Nepal well before the migrations of the Tibetans and Indo-Aryans. Considered original inhabitants of Kathmandu, their cuisine is a reflection of their accessibility to varied agricultural yields. Chatamari is a Newari dish that is unique to the region. A rice crepe that is topped with spiced ground meat that has been mixed with aromatics, it is delicious, hearty, yet quick to prepare. Ground chicken or bison meat can be used, with the latter being commonly used in Newari recipes. The topping is reminiscent of the filling used in Nepalese momos, and as with momos, it gets cooked through steaming. Often referred to as “Newari pizza” it is less pizza and more savory crepe.

Chatamari

Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients:
2 cups Rice flour
1 cup water
1 pound ground bison or chicken
1 cup onion, finely diced
½ cup tomato, finely diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1-inch knob of ginger
6 cloves garlic
1 Serrano chili, seeds removed and diced
1 ½ tablespoons salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 – 6 eggs (1 per chatamari)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment
Nonstick Skillet with lid
Spatula
Mortar and pestle
Mixing bowls, 2

Directions

Add rice flour to a mixing bowl. Add water and stir to form chatamari batter. The chatamari batter should be thick and not too runny. Set the batter aside.

Pound the ginger and garlic to a paste like consistency. Add ground meat to the second mixing bowl. To the meat, add the ginger-garlic paste, finely diced onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and Serrano chili pepper. Mix thoroughly so all the aromatics are well incorporated and evenly mixed. Add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, cayenne pepper, and mix thoroughly.

Set the skillet on the stove and when hot, add olive oil, about ¼ tablespoon. Reduce the heat to medium and pour in ½ cup of the batter, enough to form a thin coating like a crepe on the entirety of the pan. Top the chatamari with about ¼ of the ground meat mixture, leaving room in the center. Crack an egg in the center. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the egg. Cover the skillet with the lid and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. The ground meat and egg get cooked in the steam. Open lid and check meat for doneness. Serve hot.

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon