Nepal’s culture is imbued with spirituality, and the two main religions that live side by side here are Hinduism and Buddhism. Both religions have important customs surrounding food — from the things that are eaten to the ways that food is prepared.
In Buddhism, food is produced and consumed with non-violence in mind; that means that most meals are vegetarian or vegan. Certain pungent foods are also avoided — including onions and garlic — as they’re said to cause emotional disturbances.
Hindus, too, abide by ahimsa (non-harming) in their culinary cosmology. Food is believed to be a gift from the divine, and to be treated with respect. From early childhood, followers of Hindu religion partake in vibrant rituals in which food is the centre point; a child’s first feeding is called annaprasana, and is celebrated as a samsara (a rite of passage).
In Hinduism, food that is worshiped brings strength and wonderful nourishment to the body.