File:Lapte Bhoye.jpg

English: A lapte (literally meaning leaf plate) made from leaves of the Sal tree, is placed before each guest along with a pala (small clay bowl). At regular intervals along the rows are kept brass karuwas (snout nosed vessels containing drinking water). The service starts from the eldest guest. First, two hand fulls of baji (beaten rice) are served. In Nepal there are different types of baji, the ones served in Newari feasts are the tastier types (those made in Kathmandu), which are whiter, larger and flatter than the others. The usual curries served are, gainda gudi (made of different lentils), hariyo saag (green spinach) and alu tama (potatoes and bamboo shoot curry). Achaar (pickles), which can be of two kinds, are served next. Alu kerau (a spicy concoction of potatoes, green peas, small brown peas and radish) and tamatar ko achaar (made of ripe tomatoes) are the most popular. It must be mentioned that the achars can be really spicy and hot to the uninitiated. Then comes the dish everyone is waiting expectantly for, the meat curry. Either mutton or buff (buffalo meat), with lots of gravy, is served (traditionally, Newari feasts serve buff, but in recent times, mutton is noticed to be more preferred). This, the serving of meat, is a time consuming affair, since, at every stop, the server has to make sure that meat pieces are served according to choice. And different guests have different choices, obviously. Some take quite a while finalizing their choice pieces which only goes to prove the fact that the Newars are connoisseurs of meat. As soon as it is served, the guests start eating.