KATHMANDU: The Wah! Alaichi campaign launches the first-ever recipe book with traditional and fusion Nepali recipes featuring Nepal’s niche product – alaichi or large cardamom.

With over 40 recipes to choose from, the book contains specially curated recipes from MasterChef Santosh Shah and aspiring apprentices and chefs.

The recipe book also features instructions to create spices for timeless recipes such as sekuwa, tea and kheer.

The collection of recipes in this book comes from the cooking competition amongst apprentices hosted in 2022 as a part of the first phase of the Wah! Alaichi campaign.

Young aspiring apprentices from culinary schools and chefs from hotels in Biratnagar, Sauraha and Kathmandu enthusiastically participated in the competition where alaichi was used as the main ingredient.

Each of the recipes was then carefully selected, tested, and perfected by a team of professional chefs in Kathmandu.

The Federation of Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs of Nepal (FLCEN), in collaboration with the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and supported by the Ministry of Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Province 1 and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launched the Wah! Alaichi campaign in July 2022.

The campaign focuses on raising awareness, increasing the use and consumption of alaichi among domestic and commercial consumers.

In addition, the campaign also aims to educate Nepali households about the benefits and taste of alaichi.

The Wah! Alaichi campaign, now in its second phase, will continue to promote the use and consumption of alaichi in the domestic market and households.

The campaign will focus on collaboration with key stakeholders to promote alaichi while also working with the media, the private sector and the hotel association to promote the recipe book.