By Renuka Dhakal
Kathmandu, Dec. 12: Although Nepali cuisine hasn’t made a significant leap internationally, it’s common knowledge that local Nepali food can leave diners drooling over its traditional spices and tempting delicacies.
Authentic Nepali dishes are undoubtedly popular among the locals, but it does pale in comparison to the famous Pan Asian, Italian and Chinese cuisines.
However, Nepali chef Santosh Sah aims to change that as he gears up to represent his home country in the finals of the internationally renowned ‘BBC Master Chef Professionals 2020’ cooking competition.
Having entered the competition with the aim of introducing Nepali palate to international audience, chef Sah prepared Yomari, the quintessential Newari dumpling in the semi-final round, to secure his place in the final.
In the semi-final, which was aired on ‘BBC One’ on Thursday, Santosh was able to outperform the four other contestants to reach the coveted finale directly.
The judges unanimously lauded his winning dish Yomori – which he stuffed with chocolate, cashews, and nuts, chilly, cinnamon and orange. He also made Indo-Chinese chicken chilly, hot and sour soup and crispy noodles.
Sah has made several Nepali dishes in the competition including roasted sheep meat, roasted fish, sesame and tomato pickle, bitter gourd pickle, sisnu, bethe greens, bhang pickle, potato vegetable, corn bread, bamboo pickle, forest yam, and many more Nepali traditional dishes.
Sharing his thoughts about Yomari via his Facebook handle, he writes,“Yomari, also called Yamari, is a delicacy of the Newar community in Nepal. It is a steamed dumpling that consists of an external covering of rice flour with sweet fillings such as Chaku. The delicacy plays a very important role in Newa society, and is a key part of the festival Yomari Punhi. I have attempted a slight twist in the Nepalese dumpling delicacy, with chocolate, cashews, nuts, chilli, orange and cinnamon.”
Sah is originally from Karjanha, Siraha district. According to his interviews in various media, after failing in SLC (School Leaving Certificate), he went to India at the age of 15 and worked as a dishwasher in the hotels. Bewitched by the culinary arts, zealous Sah worked his way up into becoming the executive chef of a five star hotel.
He went to the UK in 2010. Having served as executive chef in various hotels in both India and the UK, he has about two decades of experience in Indian and sub continental cuisines.
The final will be held on December 17.