Food & dishes · Nepal
Gundruk and Sinki: Fermented Nepali Staples
Tangy, sun-dried and fermented, gundruk and sinki are Nepal's ingenious answer to a long winter — sour greens that flavour soups, pickles and dal bhat.
Long before refrigeration reached the hills, Nepalis found a brilliant way to keep vegetables through the winter: ferment them. Gundruk and sinki are the tangy, sun-dried results, and they remain two of the most distinctive flavours in the Nepali kitchen.
The short answer
Gundruk is fermented, dried leafy greens and sinki is fermented radish root — both soured by natural lactic fermentation, then dried for storage. They are cooked into a sour soup (jhol), made into pickle, or stir-fried, and add a bright tang to dal bhat. Look for them especially in the hills and in Thakali kitchens.
What they are and how they're made
The genius lies in salt-free fermentation:
- Gundruk — mustard, radish or cauliflower leaves are wilted, packed tightly into a container, and left to ferment in their own juices for days, then sun-dried.
- Sinki — radish taproots are shredded, packed firmly (traditionally into a warm pit lined with leaves), fermented, and dried.
Both rely on wild lactic-acid bacteria, the same process behind sauerkraut and kimchi, which is what gives them their signature sourness and long shelf life.
How they're eaten
The classic preparation is gundruk ko jhol or sinki ko jhol, a thin sour soup simmered with tomato, chilli and spices, served over rice. They also star as a sharp achar alongside dal bhat, or stir-fried with potato. The sour note is the point: it cuts through rich curries and brightens an otherwise simple plate. In the hills, they pair beautifully with dhindo, the thick millet or buckwheat porridge.
Regional and cultural context
Gundruk and sinki are mountain and hill staples, born of necessity in a landscape where fresh vegetables vanished in winter. Gundruk in particular is so emblematic that many consider it a contender for an unofficial national dish, and it is central to the celebrated Thakali dal bhat set. As fermented foods, they connect Nepal to a broader Himalayan tradition of preservation, and they remain a daily source of nutrition in rural kitchens. They are a quiet but essential thread in Nepal food and drink.
Variations to look for
| Item | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gundruk ko jhol | Sour soup from fermented greens |
| Gundruk achar | Pickle/side with sesame and chilli |
| Sinki ko jhol | Sour soup from fermented radish |
| Gundruk sadeko | Spiced fresh-tossed salad style |
Where to try it
The best gundruk and sinki are found in hill and mountain homes and at Thakali eateries, where they accompany the regional dal bhat set; many of the best restaurants in Kathmandu serve a proper Thakali plate complete with sour gundruk. On treks, teahouses often offer gundruk soup, a welcome change from the usual menu. To understand how these sour staples balance a Nepali meal, read about the national dish dal bhat and the noodle soup thukpa that warms the same high villages.
For visitors, these foods are an easy and rewarding way to taste rural Nepal. A bowl of gundruk soup is light, sharp and unlike anything in most Western kitchens, while a spoonful of gundruk pickle adds instant character to an otherwise plain plate. They are also among the most sustainable foods you can eat here, made from leaves and roots that would otherwise be wasted and preserved without any electricity at all.
Sharp, sour and deeply traditional, gundruk and sinki are proof that some of Nepal's best flavours were born from making the most of a hard winter.
Frequently asked questions
What is gundruk?+
Gundruk is a fermented and sun-dried leafy green, made from mustard, radish or cauliflower leaves. Tangy and slightly sour, it is one of Nepal's signature preserved foods, used in soups, pickles and as a side with dal bhat.
What is sinki?+
Sinki is fermented radish taproot, packed tightly into a pit or container and left to sour, then dried. Like gundruk, it is rehydrated and cooked into a sour soup or pickle, and is especially common in the hills.
How are gundruk and sinki made?+
Leaves (for gundruk) or radish (for sinki) are wilted, packed tightly to ferment in their own juices without salt, then sun-dried for storage. The natural lactic fermentation gives them their characteristic tang.
Are gundruk and sinki healthy?+
Yes. As fermented vegetables they provide probiotics, fibre, iron and vitamin C, and traditionally helped Nepali families get nutrients through long winters when fresh vegetables were scarce.
How do you eat gundruk and sinki?+
Most often as gundruk ko jhol (a sour soup), as an achar (pickle) with dal bhat, or stir-fried with potato. They add a bright, sour depth to meals and pair especially well with rice and dhindo.
