The Thakali Thali and the Trade Route That Made It
In Nepal, khanubhayo? — "have you eaten?" — functions as a greeting. Not a pleasantry, but a genuine expression of concern. It is the kind of detail that tells you something essential about a food culture before you have tasted a single dish. Thakali cuisine, which comes out of the Thak Khola region in Nepal's Mustang District, carries that same ethic of nourishment all the way to the plate. Most conversations about Nepali food in India start and end with momos and dal-bhaat. Vivek Man Sherchan, who founded the Jimbu Thakali restaurant chain in Kathmandu in 2016, is betting that Delhi-NCR is ready for something more specific. His first Indian outlet is set to open in Gurugram, and he has a clear-eyed read on the audience. "It will not be a completely unfamiliar palate for them as there are a lot of similarities between Indian and Nepali food when it comes to using spices and produce," he says. "But the slow cooking methods, especially our daal, and...
