It was Father's day last week and my family decided to sample the fare at the newly opened Nepalese Restaurant Zomsa in Arlington, MA. The best known Nepalese dishes are momos, the steamed dumplings that are filled with spicy vegetables or meat and served with chutneys on the side.
We started out with an appetizer called Bara, described as a traditional Newari lentil pancake, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They were delicious. Followed it up with steamed momos with crispy cabbage filling and Paneer Tikka, Cottage cheese chunks marinated in Himalayan herbs and spices grilled and served with onion and peppers on sizzling platter. The Tikka was soft and the spice was different and quite good.
While the rest of my family ordered Lo mein and Manchurian, I opted for the Daal Bhat Nepali Thali ( picture) and I must say that the content in each of the katoris was well presented. There was less spice, no grease and bursting with flavors. Gobhi curry, steamed kale, green lentils, rajma and topped with a radish salad pickle. Yum! I would recommend readers to try out this new restaurant if you are looking for a nice nepali meal.
I have tried to recreate the radish pickle in this recipe below based on something similar that I make at home.
The lady told me that it is called Mulo Ka Achaar
2 Radishes or Mooli - sliced about 2 inches long
4 Green Chilies - sliced
1/4 cup Mustard powder
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 cup Avocado Oil
Method
Add 2 tbsp of salt on sliced radishes. Mix well and leave it aside for an hour. Drain this water. Now add the rest of the spices and the cut green chillies. Mix well and pour it in a bottle and leave it out for a couple of weeks. Refrigerate and enjoy!
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