Gunhu Punhi: A Day Filled with 9 Unique Beans!

Newari Recipes Hut, 2021

Dear Nemaste,

Today I want to talk about Gunhu Punhi, the day that occurs once a year that values a tradition deeply engraved in my culture, and food! I remember my belly expanding with each mouth full, and being unsuccessful with finishing my entire bowl of Kwati.

When I was younger, eating Kwati always daunted me.

Why?

I was always ready to inhale the dumplings, that part was never a problem. However the expansive bowl of Kwati would always daunt me. Unless you want to face my mamu’s wrath, wasting food is a dangerous thing to do (even more dangerous than the traffic in Nepal)!

“Mamu, I’m fuuuuuullll,” I would say, meeting my mother’s eyes, after minutes of chewing bean after bean.

Her smile would turn into a frown as she would say, “Ailai!”

At first I didn’t understand this, but in a way, wasting food would undermine her hard work.

Making Kwati might seem easy, given that all you do is put beans in a pressure cooker (well, not exactly). However, my mom would need to stand in our kitchen, underneath both the scorching heat of the summer and also the emitted heat rays of the stove.

Despite the beads of sweat trickling down her forehead, she was never discouraged, as maintaining the culture for our childhood weighed greater.

Now, as the capacity of my stomach has gotten larger, I’m able to enjoy eating Kwati, and not worry about not being able to finish.

But what is Kwati? And what is its significance?

It is one of the most popular festivals celebrated by the Newars of Nepal! A day where 9 different beans are mixed together and cooked in a pressure cooker.

The result is called Gunhu Puni, a savoury and nutritious thick soup! Besides receiving bowls of Gunhu Punhi, Newars also tie “doro” around their hands. Furthermore, Gunhu Punhi is given to frogs in Nepal, as they believe that this act will result in farmers receiving rain for their crops.

In the past, Gunhu Puni was eaten with roti (check out our blog post to learn more about roti), but recently through constant re-writings made into culture and most people pair momos (Nepali dumplings) with Gunhu Puni!

Personally, I find that momo and Gunhu Puni is a greater combination rather than roti and Gunhu Punhi, because I promise you, literally no one can say no to a bowl of momos!

Yours Truly,

Arnima

References:

1. Junu. (n.d.). Kwati: Festival food: NEWARI Recipe hut. Newari Recipes Hut. https://newarirecipeshut.com/recipe/kwati/.

2. Nepal, N. (n.d.). Janai Purnima. Naturally Nepal. https://www.welcomenepal.com/whats-on/janai-purnima.html.