Cooking Nepali Food in Australia: Where to Find Ingredients and Easy Recipes for Busy Students

Finding Nepali/South Asian Ingredients

Most large Australian cities have South Asian or Nepali grocery stores. In some cities, Nepali stores are distinct from Indian ones and stock: Wai Wai noodles, Nepali-style achar, sel roti mix, Himalayan salt, and specific dal varieties.

City-by-City Guide

• Sydney: Harris Park (Parramatta area) — multiple Indian/Nepali stores. Auckland Street and Station Street.
• Melbourne: Footscray Market (large Asian/South Asian section), CBD Little Bourke Street stores, Tarneit/Hoppers Crossing area.
• Brisbane: Sunnybank Hills shopping centre area. Multiple Asian supermarkets.
• Adelaide: Central Market — large international food section. Ingle Farm and Salisbury area stores.

30-Minute Dal Bhat (For One)

1. Boil 1 cup basmati rice (20 min)
2. Pressure cook OR boil masoor dal with turmeric, salt (15 min)
3. Temper with ghee (or butter), cumin, garlic, tomato (5 min)
4. Serve with any sautéed vegetable (spinach, potato)

Total cost: approximately AUD 2.50. Meal complete in 30 minutes. Preparation gets faster each time.