Raksi!!
A delightfully strong homemade saki-like drink.
Raksi is made from millet or rice, fermented after 10 days or so, and a clear liquor is the finish.
Breanne and I were brought over to the neighbors by one of the volunteers and she introduced us. We walked into a glorified man-cave. Man-caves differ per culture I'm sure, but the necessities are still in tact. Ability to make your own liquor, stove and spices whenever you want to cook something, sofa, table, and some glasses. No TV, pool table, dart boards, naked...anyway, no one needs it.
This gentleman was very kind. Poured three glasses of his elixir for us to try first before buying. Also put down a plate with spoons for all to try his meal he cooked. Just beaming with pride. "This is Nepalese food!" "It's delicious man!" I replied. Began wandering around to check his cave out. Showed me the process of making the Raksi, as well as where he keeps his spices for his meal he cooked. Bold, salty, spicy flavors cooked down with vegetables. His son was just getting home, and he yelled for him to come in. A very jovial, quick-witted son. We said our thanks and were out.
Back at the homestead, they make their own raksi. This elixir is a bit stronger than the neighbors. Mama (what they told us to call their mother), knows how to cook a mean batch. Cooking with friends and family, along with a little of their raksi, makes everything better.
We also tried some rice beer and Chaang which were also met with fun conversations from the neighbors we were purchasing it from. I bought some local Nepalese beer, costing 7x the amount we were paying from the neighbors, and something was missing from sharing these types of drinks. No mystery of how they tasted. No fun quizzes on how much we thought the ABV was. I learned my lesson. Just head to the neighbors, or ask Mama for more.
