Nepali food is practical rather than gourmet fare--which is not to say it isn't tasty. The national dish is daal bhaat, boiled rice (bhaat) with a thin lentil sauce (daal), accompanied by curried vegetables (tarkaari) and possibly a dab of pungent pickle (achaar). In rice-growing areas daal bhaat is eaten twice a day. Sweet, milky tea and snacks like beaten or popped rice, flat bread, or curried potatoes tide the hungry over.
Most Nepalis eat with the right hand, though urban diners have adopted silverware. Metal spoons are said to ruin the flavor of food and to make you thinner. Food may be served in a thaali, a metal plate divided into separate compartments.