A tangy, soupy curry of fermented bamboo shoots, potato and black-eyed peas in a turmeric-gold broth. Sour, spicy and comforting, it is everyday hill-country food eaten over rice.
Rooted in the Newar cuisine of the Kathmandu Valley, aloo tama is known in Newari as chhon kwa ('bamboo-shoot soup') and is a fixture of Newari feasts and the samay baji platter. Bamboo flourishes across Nepal's hills, and fermenting fresh shoots into sour tama for curry is a hallmark of this region; today it is beloved in homes across Nepal, especially at festivals.
A bright, mouth-puckering sourness from the bamboo plays against earthy potato and creamy beans. The broth is light yet warming, with a low hum of chili and the fragrance of mustard oil.
Lactic fermentation of the bamboo shoots produces the dish's signature tang and tenderizes the fibres. Starch leaching from the potatoes lightly thickens the broth while the beans add body and protein.
Variations
Aloo bodi tama (with extra beans), with added pork, vegan version, soupier or thicker styles by region
On the Palate
Where Aloo Tama sits in the Nepali flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 1480 min
Soak black-eyed peas overnight, then boil until just tender.
- 25 min
Rinse fermented bamboo shoots and chop into bite-size pieces.
- 33 min
Heat mustard oil and temper cumin, fenugreek and dried chili.
Watch outTemper the cumin and fenugreek in the hot mustard oil only until fragrant and just golden — fenugreek turns bitter the instant it browns too far, so pull it fast.
- 46 min
Add onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric and the bamboo shoots; fry until aromatic.
- 53 min
Stir in diced potatoes and coat in the spices.
- 64 min
Pour in water and the cooked beans and bring to a boil.
- 718 min
Simmer until the potatoes are soft and the broth turns tangy.
Watch outSimmer until the potatoes go soft and the broth turns cloudy and pleasantly tangy — the sourness from the bamboo should come through; thin, sharp broth needs more time.
- 82 min
Finish with fresh coriander and serve with steamed rice.
