Choila Recipe: Newari Spiced Grilled Meat

Choila (sometimes spelled chhoila) is Kathmandu Valley's answer to smoked, spiced meat done right. It is a Newari classic: meat grilled or boiled first, then shredded or sliced thin and tossed hot in a mustard oil tarka loaded with garlic, ginger, chili and timur.

It is one of the anchor dishes on a samay baji platter, the ceremonial Newari spread that also carries beaten rice, boiled egg and soybeans, but choila stands fine on its own with a cold drink and good company.

If you have never dug into the deeper roots of this cooking style, our guide to Newari cuisine covers where choila fits among the valley's other signature dishes.

Traditional choila uses buff (water buffalo), though goat, pork and chicken versions are all common in Newari homes today. For this recipe we are using Buffalo Cube Meat, which grills up tender and has enough fat to carry the spices.

Ingredients: 1 lb Buffalo Cube Meat (or bone-in goat, or boneless chicken thigh), 3 tbsp Roasted Khokana Mustard Oil, 1 tbsp Garlic Puree, 1 tbsp Minced Ginger, 1/2 tsp ground Timur, a pinch of Jimbu fried in the hot oil, 2-3 dried red chilies, 1/2 tsp turmeric, sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon.

A jar of Sekuwa Masala is a smart shortcut here too. It is built for exactly this kind of grilled, smoky meat and can stand in for the turmeric and part of the chili if you want fewer steps.

For every other Newari staple ingredient, from beaten rice to black soybeans, our rice & flour and spices & masala sections carry what a real samay baji spread needs.

1. Marinate the meat in salt, turmeric and a spoon of mustard oil for at least 20 minutes while you heat the grill or a heavy skillet.

2. Grill or pan-sear the meat over high heat until well charred on the outside but still juicy inside. Traditionally this happens over live coals, which gives choila its signature smokiness, but a hot cast-iron pan gets you most of the way there at home.

3. Rest, then slice thin against the grain (or shred, if using chicken). Keep any juices that collect on the board; they go back into the mix.

4. Heat the Roasted Khokana Mustard Oil in a small pan until it just starts to smoke, then let it cool for 30 seconds. This step matters: raw mustard oil is sharp and bitter, and a proper choila needs it tempered.

5. Add the dried red chilies and a pinch of Jimbu to the hot oil and fry for 10 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the Garlic Puree and Minced Ginger.

6. Pour the hot tempered oil straight over the sliced meat. Add ground Timur, green onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lemon, and toss everything together while the oil is still sizzling.

7. Taste and adjust salt, chili and lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature, never cold from the fridge.

Buff choila is the original: rich, slightly gamey, and it holds the smoky char better than lighter meats. Goat choila is the closest substitute in texture and is common at Newari weddings and feasts.

Chicken choila is milder and cooks faster, which makes it the easiest starting point if this is your first time making the dish. Use boneless thigh, not breast; it stays juicy through the hard sear that choila demands.

Whichever meat you pick, the spice base stays the same: mustard oil, timur, garlic and ginger. If you are curious how choila's dried cousin compares, our buff vs mutton sukuti guide breaks down Nepal's other favorite way to eat buffalo meat.

On a proper samay baji platter, choila sits alongside beaten rice, boiled egg, black soybeans and a fistful of pickled radish. Read our full samay baji breakdown if you want to build the whole spread.

Outside of festival plates, choila works just as well as a simple side with plain rice, or piled onto sel roti for something closer to street food. It also pairs naturally with a cold beer or a glass of raksi if that is your evening.

Leftover choila keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat gently; do not microwave it hard or the meat turns rubbery.

Timur, jimbu and roasted mustard oil are not exactly grocery store staples outside a Nepali kitchen, which is why we stock them year-round. Danphe Stores ships Nepali and Indian groceries across Canada, all 10 provinces and 3 territories, with free delivery over $35 in central Metro Vancouver.

Our shop at 3634 East Hastings St in Vancouver carries fresh buff and goat cuts if you are local and want same-day pickup or delivery; everywhere else, standard shipping runs 5-10 business days.