Breakfast at Kathmandu...

Evening Aarati for the River Bagmati at Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu

Food for the Soul.

And for the body too! The routine goes thus...

• A Cup of tea, followed by Dal, Rice and Tarkari= Lentils, Rice and Vegetables with a pickle or a simple salad
• Tea with milk and a Millet Roti around 3-4
• Dinner: rotis with dal, curd, vegetables, pickle and salad.

Waking to the sounds of the radio or TV news, a sharp and furious stretch of handheld bells to awaken the Gods, Shiva mantras by the old gentleman next door, sounds of cooking, a loud moaning  like a dog in pain turned out to be a mixer, sounds of vigorous exercise and yoga, a scolding from a spouse or a mother to the child, sweeping. The particular memories of different fragrances and smells, from a many years ago....wafts of mustard oil stirring up the  hearty dishes to sustain the day.

Potatoes and Spinach, tomato pickle with black salt.

Fried paneer and capsicum in a thin gravy

with vegetable greens

Potato and Sesame Seeds Pickle with sharp green chillies.

Indian Long Beans with potatoes and a special dal with dried vegetables: thin, soupy variety with soy beans and potatoes

Millet roti with a touch of ghee and a delicious tomato chutney.

Another dish of Punpkin leaves, tender stems and potatoes.

Served with another  vegetable dish of a gourd with potatoes and a tadka of mustard seeds=delicious.

A thin, soupy moong dal: light and delicious and a simple tomato pickle.

This breakfast, for folks who are more used to rice as lunch/ in the afternoon and a lazy pace afterwards will take some adjusting! :-)

With the present routine, a small stash of 'Glucose biscuts' during the afternoon hours carries you over until the tea-time.