Ju Ju Dhau “Piggy Head” — Who Can Resist This 4-Yuan Bowl of Creamy

Wandering through Pokhara’s morning market, I’m always drawn to the “white puffs” in piles of earthen bowls — that’s Ju Ju Dhau, a local favorite eaten from childhood. Its Chinese nickname “=” (zhū zhū tóu, “piggy head”) sounds endearingly silly, and the yogurt itself lives up to the charm. The first time a vendor called out “Ju Ju Dhau!” in Nepali, I stared at the creamy white substance in the bowl, thinking: “Just ordinary yogurt, right?” A spoonful later, I knew I was dead wrong. It’s thick as curd, so dense a spoon 🥄 stands straight up in it; it melts on your tongue, sweet with fresh milk, the tang so mild it feels like a sun-warmed meadow. Best of all is the thin layer of cream on top, with a hint of caramel — “milk gold,” the vendor said, formed naturally during slow fermentation. At 80 NPR (≈4 RMB) a bowl, the earthenware edges still have a rustic, handcrafted feel. The vendor, a sari-clad auntie 👵, smiled as I polished off two bowls, gesturing: “Local cows, fresh daily!” A Nepali uncle beside me slurped his down, licking the bowl clean with his tongue 👅 — turns out Ju Ju Dhau isn’t just a tourist delight, but a daily comfort for locals. 🥢 Street Laphing: Sour-Spicy Freshness Wrapped in Rice Jelly 🌶️ At the other end of the market, Laphing stalls always draw crowds clutching paper bowls. These look like rolled rice jelly — translucent thin skins wrapped around chopped carrots, cilantro, bean sprouts, sometimes mashed potato, formed into plump little bundles. Plain-looking, but bursting with flavor. Bite into the skin, and sour-spicy-freshness hits your nose — the skin is chewy, with a ricey smoothness; the filling’s chili powder mixed with garlic water, spicy but clean; a crunch of peanuts adds nuttiness. 90 NPR gets you four or five, and the vendor asks “Spicy?” — the default chili sauce is local, tangy with fermentation, pairing with Laphing’s coolness like a zesty rain for your taste buds, totally wake-up worthy 😋. Once I watched a schoolgirl 👧 buy a portion, nibbling while standing at the stall, chili seeds on her lips, finishing by drinking the last drop of sauce — turns out Pokhara’s morning market joy is half in Ju Ju Dhau’s milky sweetness, half in Laphing’s spicy tang. Don’t fixate on curry and momos in Nepal! This 4-yuan Ju Ju Dhau and street Laphing hold locals’ most authentic flavor memories — simple, fresh, and enough to make you feel grounded on a foreign morning. #NepalFood #PokharaFood #NepalYogurt #StreetFood