Local Drinks

1. चिया

   Chiyaa

   Chiya (tea)

   Usage

   The everyday drink in Nepal. Unless you say otherwise it usually arrives as sweet milky tea in a small glass

2. दूध चिया

   Dudh chiyaa

   Dudh chiya (milk tea)

   Usage

   Tea leaves boiled with milk and sugar; the form most often served at roadside tea stalls

3. कालो चिया

   Kaalo chiyaa

   Kalo chiya (black tea, no milk)

   Usage

   Tea without milk. If you are avoiding dairy, this is the word that gets the point across

4. हरियो चिया

   Hariyo chiyaa

   Hariyo chiya (green tea)

   Usage

   Unfermented tea. Stocked in the eastern tea-growing districts such as Ilam

5. मसला चिया

   Masalaa chiyaa

   Masala chiya (spiced milk tea)

   Usage

   Milk tea boiled with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. Popular in the cold season and at altitude

6. कफी

   Kaphi

   Kaphi (coffee)

   Usage

   Far less widely served than tea. In ordinary eateries it is usually instant coffee with sugar and powdered milk

7. लस्सी

   Lassi

   Lassi (yoghurt drink)

   Usage

   A traditional South Asian drink made from yoghurt, sweet or salted. Ice may be added, so say no in advance if that matters to you

8. उखुको रस

   Ukhuko ras

   Ukhu ko ras (sugarcane juice)

   Usage

   Pressed on the spot and sold on street corners in the hot season. The press and the ice make it worth skipping if you are careful about water

   Grammar Note

   "Juice of X" is formed as ingredient + ko + ras, the same pattern as phalphul ko ras (fruit juice)

9. छ्याङ

   Chhyaang

   Chhyang (cloudy fermented grain beer)

   Usage

   A cloudy brew of fermented rice or millet. The same drink is also called जाँड, the word you will more often hear in the hills. Low in strength but home-brewed, so it varies a lot

10. रक्सी

    Raksi

    Raksi (distilled grain spirit)

    Usage

    A strong spirit distilled from chhyang. Clear and high in alcohol; home-made batches carry no labelling, so watch the quantity

11. बियर

    Biyar

    Biyar (beer)

    Usage

    Domestic brands are widely available in eateries and guesthouses. Drinking is legal in Nepal, though some places do not stock it

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