The diversity and richness of Nepali cuisines are also reflected by the wide varieties of spices, herbs and flavoring ingredients used in Nepali cooking. Spices in Nepali cuisines are not just used for the exquisite flavors but also for the nutrition, medicinal value, aesthetics, texture, freshness, and heat. You can also see many of these spices, herbs, and flavoring ingredients used in Indian and regional cuisines across the world. Spices like cumin seed, coriander seed, turmeric, garlic, onion, and ginger are widely used in everyday Nepali cooking, while some of them are used in making occasional and festive foods. Wild Himalayan garlic (jimbu) and Nepali pepper (timur) are the key flavoring ingredients in Thakali cuisine, and also widely used in hilly cuisines across Nepal. Roasted sesame seed is widely used for flavoring fresh achaar or salad. One of the peculiar flavoring ingredients used in Newa cuisine is roasted mustard oil, which is not seen in other food cultures of Nepal. Linseed or flaxseed is used to flavor mudwater snail (ghonghi) curry in Tharu culture. In Limbu and Rai culture, fermented soybeans known as kinema is also used as flavoring curries and daal beside using as the main ingredient.
Here is the list of spices, herbs and flavoring ingredients used in Nepali cuisine. If there are any spices missed and also if you would like to contribute for their ethnic names, please send an email at [email protected].
| Spices | ||
| Common Name | Common Nepali Name | Ethnic Name |
| Ajowan seeds/Ajwain seeds/Carom seeds | Jwaano – ज्वानो | |
| Anise seed | Newari: Sobusah | |
| Asafetida/Asafoetida | Hing – हिंग | |
| Bay leaves | Tejpatta/Sunkauli – तेजपत्ता/सुनकाउली | |
| Pepper | Marich – मरिच | |
| Caraway seed (?) | Bhote jeera/Bhote masala – भोटे जीरा/भोटे मसला | Thakali: Ghoini |
| Chili | Khursani – खुर्सानी | Newari: Malta |
| Cinnamon, Cassia bark | Daalchini – दालचिनी | |
| Cloves | Lwaang – ल्वाङ्ग | |
| Coriander seeds | Dhaniya ko geda – धनियाँँको गेडा | |
| Cumin seeds | Jeera – जीरा | Newari: Jii |
| Dill seed | Saunf – सौँफ | |
| Fennel seeds | Saunp/Saunf/Boke Jeera – सौँप/सौँफ/बोके जीरा | |
| Fenugreek seeds | Methi – मेथी | Newari: Michah, Sherpa: Mendo |
| Garlic | Lasun – लसुन | Newari: Laava, Limbu: Makho, Sherpa: Gokpa |
| Ginger | Aduwa – अदुवा | Newari: Paalu, Sherpa: Gyesar |
| Himalayan black rock salt | Bire nun – बिरे नुन | Newari: Be chi |
| Himalayan white rock salt | Sidhe nun – सिधे नुन | |
| Large/Black cardamom | Alaichi – अलैचीं | |
| Mace | Jaipatri – जाइपत्री | |
| Boke timur (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium) | Boke timur – बोके टिमूर | |
| Sil Timur (Litsea citrata) | Siltimur – सिलटिमूर | Newari: Kattaa basi |
| Nepali pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) | Timur – टिमूर | |
| Nigella seeds/Black cumin | Mungrelo/Kalo jeera – मुंग्रेलो/कालो जीरा | |
| Nutmeg | Jaiphal – जाइफल | |
| Onion | Pyaaj – प्याज | |
| Poppy seeds | Khuskhus – खुसखुस | |
| Saffron | Kesar – केसर | |
| Salt | Nun – नुन | Newari: Chi, Sherpa: Cha |
| Small/Green cardamom | Sukumel – सुकुमेल | |
| Star Anise | ||
| Turmeric | Besar – बेसार | Newari: Halu, Sherpa: Nyu nan |
| Nepal hogweed (Heracleum nepalense) | Chimping/Chimphing – चिमपिङ / चिमफिङ | Limbu/Rai: Chimping/Chimphing |
| Khanukpa (Euodia fraxinifolia) | Khanukpa – खानुक्पा | Limbu/Rai: Khanukpa |
| Sweet Flavoring Ingredients | ||
| Common Name | Common Nepali Name | Ethnic Name |
| Concentrated Sugarcane juice | Khudo – खुदो | |
| Honey | Maha – मह | |
| Jaggery | Sakhar/Bheli/Gur – सख्खर/भेली/गुर | |
| Processed jaggery | Chaku – चाकु | Newari: Chaku |
| Sugar | Chini – चिनी | |
| Edible Oily Seeds | ||
| Common Name | Common Nepali Name | Ethnic Name |
| Flaxseed, Linseed | Aalas – आलस | |
| Hemp seed | Bhang – भाङ्ग | |
| Mustard seeds | Tori/Sarsyun – तोरी/सस्र्यूँ | |
| Niger seeds | Jhuse/Madhesi teel – झुसे तिल/मधेसी तिल | Limbu: Philinge |
| Peanuts | Badam – बदाम | |
| Perilla seeds | Silam – सिलम | |
| Pumpkin seeds | Pharsi ko biya – फर्सीको वियाँ | |
| Radish seeds | Mulla ko biya – मुलाको वियाँ | |
| Sesame seeds | Teel – तिल | Newari: Hwamu |
| Soybeans | Bhatmaas – भटमास | Newari: Musya |
| Herbs/Flowers | ||
| Common Name | Common Nepali Name | Ethnic Name |
| Chives | Chhyapi – छ््यापी | |
| Coriander leaves | Dhaniya ko paat – हरियो धनियाँ | |
| Dill | Saunf ko saag – सौँफको साग | |
| Garlic leaves | Lasun ko paat – लसुनको पात | |
| Himalayan or Nepalese Allium/Jimbu | Jimbu/Jimmu – जिम्बु/जिम्मु | |
| Mint | Pudina/Patina – पुदीना/पतना | Newari: Nawahghauaa |
| Sawtooth coriander/Culantro | Jangali Dhaniya – जङ्गली धनियाँ | |
| Sichuan button | Marethi/Gorakhpaan – मराठी/गोरखपान | |
| Spring onion | Pyaj ko paat – प्याजको पात | |
| Wild Garlic (Allium) | Rhi-ghokpa – रि-घोक्पा | Mustang Tibetan: Rhi-ghokpa |
| Other Flavoring Ingredients | ||
| Common Name | Common Nepali Name | Ethnic Name |
| Butter | Nauni – नौनी | |
| Coconut | Nariwal – नरिवल | |
| Concentrated Nepali lemon juice | Chuk – चुक | |
| Dried fishes | Sidhra/Sidhara – सिध्रा/सिधरा | |
| Fermented cream and whey dregs | Somar, Sorseum – सोमार, सोर्सेउम | Sherpa: Somar, Sorseum |
| Fermented soybeans | Kinema – किनेमा | Limbu: Kinema, Rai: Chembhiki |
| Garden cress seed | Chamsur ko biya – चम्सुरको वियाँ | |
| Ghee/Clarified butter | Ghiu – घिउ | Newari: Ghya |
| Lemon | Kaagati – कागती | |
| Nepali hog plum | Lapsi – लप्सी | |
| Nepali lemon | Amilo/Nibuwa – अमिलो/निबुवा | |
| Oil (cooking) | Tel – तेल | Newari: Chika/Busa |
| Preserved animal fats | Newari: Daah, Mustangi: Silsuk; Sherpa: Salli | |
| Roasted mustard oil | Bhuteko tori ko tel – भुटेको तोरीको तेल | Newari: Bu-chika |
| Tamarind | Imli – इमिली | |