For a long time, rice was a luxury in Nepal's high villages. It had to be carried up from the lowlands, and it did not grow well at altitude. What people ate instead was dhido.
What is dhido?
Dhido is a thick, smooth staple made by cooking flour in boiling water and stirring it hard until it becomes a dense paste. In Mustang it is usually made from buckwheat. In other hill regions it is made from millet or maize.
The texture is somewhere between polenta and a very thick porridge. The flavour depends on the grain: buckwheat dhido is nutty and slightly bitter, millet dhido is earthier and darker.
How it is made
The method is simple, but it takes strength and practice.
- Water is brought to a rolling boil in a heavy pot.
- Flour is added a little at a time while the cook stirs constantly with a wooden stick or spatula.
- As it thickens, the cook keeps beating the mixture to remove every lump.
- It is cooked through until smooth and glossy.
Lumpy dhido is the sign of an impatient cook, and every grandmother in the hills has an opinion about it.
How to eat dhido
Dhido is eaten with the fingers. Pinch off a small piece, dip it into dal, curry or gundruk soup, and swallow. Many people do not chew it much, which surprises first-timers.
It is almost always served with ghee, a vegetable or meat curry and something sour like gundruk or achar to balance its heaviness.
Why it is coming back
For years dhido was seen as poor people's food, and families moved to rice when they could. That has changed. Buckwheat and millet are now valued for their nutrition and their link to mountain heritage, and many city restaurants have added dhido to their menus.
Try a dhido set at Thulo Thakali
Our Dhido Set replaces rice with buckwheat dhido and comes with your choice of vegetable, egg, chicken, local chicken or mutton curry. If you have never tried it, order one dhido set and one rice set for the table, and compare.
Not sure how to eat it? Our guide on how to eat Thakali khana will help.
