With thousands of immigrants and refugees coming to Vermont from the Himalayan countries of Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet, according to the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Project, it’s not surprising that stores and restaurants are springing up to provide a taste of home.
Here’s a quick rundown of those that have sprouted up recently.
Himalayan Market
97 North St., Burlington
735-9081
9 a.m.- 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Tashi Sherpa opened his store in Burlington in 2009 a little further west down North Street in Burlington’s Old North End, but moved into the current location in 2010. It’s a bright and sunny place with shelves stocked with dried beans, rices, noodles, whole and ground spices, sauces and curry pastes, drinks and much more. Sherpa estimates that half of his customer base is Nepalese or Bhutanese, and says his vegetable section is the most popular.
Basics like onion, garlic bulbs, ginger and potatoes sell well because he has lower prices than many other stores, he says. At first, his American customers may come in to pick up a few basic vegetables, but they’ve become converts to authentic Nepalese cooking over time.
“I’ve introduced a lot of American customers. I had one who would come in but didn’t know how to cook anything. I taught her the easy way to cook rice. She came back the next week and said, ‘I ate rice every day because you taught me the delicious way!’”
Good Luck Store
32 West Allen St. (corner with Weaver Street), Winooski
448-3536
8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 7 a.m. Sunday
The Good Luck Store moved into its new corner location on June 1. Nestled into a red brick building, the space is equal parts store and community center. Co-owners Lalit and Pabitra Adhikari rand Netra and Renuka Adhikari provide staples for the Himalayan community and others, from dried beans, rice, noodles and spices to traditional brooms, hair oils and candles and incense for home altars. You can also find frozen samosa (a filled pastry) sweet crispy cookies, snacks and drinks like guava nectar and Indian “Limca” lemonade.
As recent immigrants themselves (Lalit moved to the States in 2008), they know what it’s like to be new and to miss home.
“People are happy when they come in and see things from home,” Lalit Adhikari said.
A square wooden Carrom board game table holds pride of place at the front of the store, and Lalit says that it’s a popular spot for the adults that visit.
As they settle in to their new space, they have an eye to how they can give customers even more of what they want. They’re seeking out the traditional mustard and other greens to make saag (spiced, stewed leafy greens), and also goat and chicken meat for their customers.
And though they have some specific ideas about ways to grow, they’re happy with the way things are too. “This is enough for us,” Lalit shared. “We’re happy with the city and with being here.”
Sherpa Kitchen
119 College St., Burlington
881-0550
Open 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday; Sunday brunch served 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Lakpa Lama and Doma Sherpa opened Sherpa Kitchen on May 5, a full service restaurant featuring Himalayan cuisine. They say business is good, even though customers may not be familiar with what they’re eating.
“It’s hard for people to differentiate how our food is different from Indian or Chinese dishes,” says Doma Sherpa. “But we want to stand out on our own … We borrow flavors from neighbors like Tibet and China and India, but we make them our own. We use the same spices but tend more towards natural cooking, no MSG, no food colorings.”
The most popular items are momos, sort of a cross between a bun and dumpling, and Sherpa stew, a hearty, warming dish that includes homemade noodles.
“Every single day we’ve met a local person who’s been to Nepal,” Sherpa said.
They said their Somosas chaat (a fried turnover snack with chutney) is popular, especially with Indian customers.
On Sundays, customers can take advantage of the $12 lunch buffet to try different tastes. It’s been a way for Lama and Sherpa to test out new dishes to see how their customers will approve.
Keep an eye out for Everest curry, made with a traditional blue cheese, which they plan to add to the menu soon.
Masoor Dal
Tashi Sherpa, owner of Himalayan Market in Burlington, shared a recipe for dal, a lentil soup that’s served throughout the Himalayan region. About four small servings.
1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
2 cups water
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
3 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
½ tablespoon whole caraway seeds
½ tablespoon jimbu, crumbled (an herb in the chive family that’s available dried at Himalayan Market)
Combine lentils and water in pot and simmer until lentils are tender, 20-30 minutes.
Just before beans are done cooking, cook separately garlic, onion, caraway seeds and jimbu in 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or oil until softened.
When lentils are cooked, stir in 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and garlic-onion mixture and serve.
Courtesy: BurlingtonFreePress.com
