Chataamari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Chatānmari

A chatanmari topped with meat
Alternative names	Rice pancake, Nepali pizza
Type	Crepe
Course	Main course
Place of origin	Nepal
Region or state	Kathmandu valley
Main ingredients	Rice flour batter
Ingredients generally used	onions, eggs, grounded meat, spices

Chatānmari (Nepali: चतांमरि, romanized: catā̃mari, Nepal Bhasa: चतांमरि) is a special Nepali pancake, a bit like a thin crepe or even a "Nepali pizza"! It's a popular dish from the Newa cuisine of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.

This delicious pancake is often enjoyed during festivals and other important celebrations. Today, Chatānmari is also a favorite snack and appetizer in many restaurants across Kathmandu. You can even find small eateries that focus on serving this tasty dish as their main item.

What You Need to Make Chatānmari

Making Chatānmari starts with a simple batter and can be topped with many yummy ingredients.

For the Pancake Batter

• Rice flour batter
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/6 teaspoon salt

For the Savory Topping

• 150 grams of ground turkey, pork, or a mix of both
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup green peas
• 1 tablespoon diced tomato
• 1 teaspoon diced hot green pepper (be careful, it's spicy!)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

Other Fun Topping Ideas

You can get creative with your Chatānmari toppings!

• Eggs
• Cheese
• Ricotta cheese and sugar (for a sweet version!)
• Sugar (another sweet option)

How to Make Chatānmari

Making Chatānmari is quite simple once you have your ingredients ready.

Preparing the Batter and Topping

• First, mix the rice flour with water. The batter should be a little thinner than cake batter.
• If you want a different flavor, you can also mix some lentil paste with the rice flour.
• For the savory topping, mix all the topping ingredients together well in a bowl.

Cooking Your Chatānmari

• Heat a flat pan to a medium temperature.
• Pour some batter onto the hot pan using a ladle.
• Spread the batter as thinly as you can with the back of the ladle.
• Quickly add your chosen topping onto the batter.
• Cover the pan with a lid.
• Cook until the topping is fully cooked through.

Tools You'll Need

• A ladle (for pouring and spreading batter)
• A damp cloth (for cleaning the pan between pancakes)
• A flat pan with a lid