Forbidden Rat Curry!! Nepal’s Musahar People!!
1. FAMILY HOME
ADDRESS: Chitwan, Nepal
INTERVIEWEES: Shankar Chaudari + Kuri Tharuni
🇳🇵GHONGHI (SNAIL CURRY): Add mustard oil to a hot pan. Add snails and a mixture of fenugreek seeds, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, ginger, and garlic. Add water and allow it to cook.
🇳🇵POKA (STICKY RICE BALL): Steam sticky rice then stuff it in the banana wrapper. Wrap and tie into a ball. Cook directly on the woodfire.
🇳🇵DRIED FISH: Mix Chhadi fish with turmeric powder and smoke above the fire for 1-2 hours. Mix well with sauce (ground green chili, garlic, salt, chili powder, and cumin seeds), chili, salt, cumin seed, and mustard oil.
🇳🇵PAREWAK SIWAR (ROASTED PIGEON IN MUD): Cover the pigeon with mud completely and grill the mud-covered pigeon. Remove mud and clean up meat. Serve with a mixture made from garlic, chili, ginger, turmeric, mustard oil, and cumin seeds.
2. MUSAHAR’S HOME
ADDRESS: Badreni-7, Sauraha, Chitwan, Nepal
INTERVIEWEES: Birjan Musahar, Babita Musahar, Ganesh Majhi + Santa Majhi
🇳🇵PIG TESTICLES: Add mustard oil to a hot pan. Add onions and testicles, then fry until golden brown.
🇳🇵RAT CURRY: Torch and clean the rat. In a pan, add oil and onions, then rat meat, turmeric powder, garlic, ginger, a mixture of cumin seeds and coriander, chili paste, tomatoes, and water. Cook for 20 minutes.
🇳🇵PORK BBQ: Marinate pork with salt, ginger, a mixture of cumin seeds and coriander, garlic, chili paste, meat masala, and turmeric powder. Mix well and put meat on skewers, then grill on the woodfire.
🇳🇵PORK CURRY: Add salt, cumin paste, garlic, chili paste, meat masala/bay leaves, turmeric powder, green chilis, and tomatoes in a pot with the pork. Add water, then let cook for 20 minutes.