There are many reasons why chef loves Tihar. This elaborate, five-day festival, also called Deepawali, is one of the largest in Nepal.
"Tihar is a celebration of lights, colours, aromas and obviously, food," Pradhan says.
Each day has its own rituals, and sharing food with friends and family after worship makes the festivities even more important and enjoyable.
"The first day is to worship the crows, followed by the worship of dogs on day two," Pradhan . "In the morning of the third day (Gai Tihar), we honour the cows, and in the evening, the goddess of wealth, Laxmi Puja."
Suraj's Tihar Feast in Sydney. Source: Suraj Pradhan
The fourth day pays homage to the ox and is also the of the , the Indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley in which he was born.
The fifth day is called and is a celebration of siblings. It is customary for brothers to give their sisters gifts and money. In return, sisters offer their brothers dry fruits, homemade bread and sweets.
Tihar is a celebration of lights, colours, aromas and obviously, food.
Pradhan's favourite of these offerings is sel roti, which means 'round bread' in Newari language.
"Sel roti is like a thin doughnut but with a crispy outside because it's made of rice flour," he explains.
The traditional way of making sel roti is to ground soaked rice in a khal, a grinding stone resembling a mortar. The thick batter is then mixed with sugar and ghee, and deep fried.
Suraj (left) celebrating Tihar in Sydney. Source: Suraj Pradhan
"In Nepal, sel roti is mostly made by the women because it's a generation-to-generation tradition," Pradhan says. "My mum and grandma used to prepare it in a real clay fire stove…They'd put a heavy iron pan in there, fill it with oil and then just grab the batter with their hands and drop it into the sizzling hot oil."
"I was always scared of getting burned so I didn't try making it until I was 16 years old…It was a complete failure," he laughs. "Nowadays, they cut the neck of a coke bottle or use a gravy boat so it's easier to pour [the batter]."
Sel roti is mandatory at any Newari feast, and accompanies typical dishes including beaten rice (chiura), barbecued meats (choila), lentil pancakes (bara), and potato, bamboo and black-eyed pea soup. The sweet bread is also enjoyed after a big feast as an evening snack with spiced tea (chiya).
"When I lived in Nepal, food was just food," Pradhan says. "I feel more sentimental about it after coming [to Australia] and getting into the hospitality industry because Nepalese food isn't really explored here.
"Being a chef, it's my responsibility to introduce Australians to my culture."
Tihar is one occasion for him to do so, and this year he's celebrating the festival one month early with his mum and grandma (who is visiting Australia for the first time). What's on the menu? "Sel roti, of course," the chef says.
Fried rice doughnuts (sel roti)
Makes 10-12
Roti is a common name for bread in Nepal. It comes in diverse forms because of the country's different ethnic groups and regions. Phapar ko roti (buckwheat bread), arsa roti (rice and molasses roti) and yoh-mari (steamed rice bread) are some of the examples of the different bread in Nepal. Sel roti is one of the most famous since it features at most of Nepal's festivals and celebrations, including Dashain and Tihar, two of the biggest festivals.
Sel roti are crisp, golden-coloured bread rings that are typically served with pickles, fried vegetables or plain yoghurt. However, they are delicious on their own too. Keep them at room temperature for no more than a week.
Ingredients
- 3 cups white rice
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup ghee
- 1.5 L vegetable oil, for deep frying
Method
- Soak the rice in water overnight.
- Drain the rice and place it in a blender or food processor with sugar and ghee. Process these ingredients, adding up to 1¼ cups of water to make a thick paste.
- Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and beat with a fork until fluffy.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for ½ hour.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan or skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches approximately 176°C to 190°C. Check the heat by placing a small drop of the batter into the hot oil. If it bubbles and rises to the surface immediately, it is ready.
- Pour the batter into a pastry bag or a cup, then pour ¼ cup of batter into the oil making a large circle so that it resembles a thin doughnut with a large hole. If the shape changes, use a wooden spoon to stretch and form a round shape.
- As the sel roti puffs and rises, slightly push it into the oil with a spoon until it is light golden brown. Flip and fry the other side until it is also golden brown.
- Remove the sel roti with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
