Nepali dining has a whole category of food known in Kathmandu as khaja: snacks eaten in the afternoon or ordered with drinks before a meal. Two of the most popular are choila and sadeko.
Choila
Choila comes from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. Traditionally it is meat, often buffalo, grilled over a flame and then mixed with a sharp dressing of mustard oil, garlic, ginger, chilli, fenugreek and timur.
The result is smoky, spicy and aromatic. The fenugreek and mustard oil give it a distinctive bitterness that many people love.
Choila at Thulo Thakali
- Chicken choila: our take on the classic with chicken.
- Mushroom choila: a vegetarian version that carries the same bold flavours.
Sadeko
Sadeko simply means "marinated" or "mixed". It is a style of spiced salad tossed together just before serving, usually with:
- Onion, tomato and green chilli
- Lemon juice
- Mustard oil, turmeric and timur
- Fresh coriander
Popular versions include:
- Aloo sadeko: boiled potatoes, the most common.
- Badam sadeko: peanuts, crunchy and addictive.
- Papad sadeko: crispy papad broken into pieces.
- Chicken sadeko: shredded spiced chicken.
How to order them
These are dishes for the middle of the table. Order two or three for a group, add a plate of beaten rice (chiura) and soybeans (bhatmas), and share.
Our Twakka Tukka sets do exactly this, with chiura, bhatmas, choila and radish achar on one plate. You will find them under Everyone’s Favourite on our menu, and all the individual snacks under Starters.
A word on spice
Both choila and sadeko can be hot. If you prefer mild food, ask the kitchen to go easy. Our heat guide has more tips.
