Hamro Aangan brings Nepalese food to Sydney’s northern beaches

Like spicy food without the heat? Give Nepalese restaurant Hamro Aangan a go.

The Steamed MO:MO, Aaloo Kopi, Thali Set, and Morang Khasi at Nepalese restaurant Hamro Aangan in Balgowlah for Dining review. Picture: Braden Fastier

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Dumplings have become so trendy of late, they’ve picked up Michelin stars — think Tim Ho Wan — and most cultures have their own version of these plump little parcels.

Dumplings are a Nepalese street food staple. They’re pretty popular too. Hamro Aangan makes 500 a pop, stuffs them with chicken, goat or vegetables, steams them and serves them tomato chutney. Or if you like them spicy, as we do, have them with hot chilli sauce.

Two serves — who’s counting? — and a portion of traditional crispy patties made with black lentils, chickpea flour, spring onion and spinach kick off dinner in the outside courtyard at the rear of the main road cafe.

Hamro Aangan (the name is Nepalese for courtyard and sounds much more romantic) has been a little cafe for 18 months, but it’s the nightime food that’s stealing the limelight.

Deepa Ghimire with the Thali Set. Picture: Braden Fastier

Nepalese food isn’t that common on the beaches. Apart from Himayalan Gurkhas and Indo-Nepalese Danphe in Dee Why, restaurants are few and far between, that’s why Deepa Ghimire and Dhee Raj have done the introductions for a Manly-Seaforth-Balgowlah-Fairlight crowd and turned their daytime cafe into night time destination.

The lower beaches has a thriving expat community. Long story short means everything from butter chicken to vindaloo rules.

Hamro Aangan showcases her heritage, Deepa Ghimire says. There’s a Nepalese chef with 25 years’ experience including stints in London doing the cooking.

Nepalese food isn’t nearly as heavy-hitting as Indian, there are still a cupboard full of spices, but it’s much more subtle.

Vegetarian dish, Aaloo Kopi. Picture: Braden Fastier

Familiar-sounding dishes pepper the menu, poleko khukura is a chicken maryland that’s been marinated overnight in yoghurt and cooked over charcoal. That Indian classic, tandoori chicken instantly springs to mind.

Charcoal chicken the Nepalese way is every bit as colourful, rich and vibrant as its sub continental neighbour, but the refined flavours are much more understated.

Do try the goat — many won’t. Hamro Aangan has it three ways as main courses, as well as a entree for the fearless — goat liver and kidney.

Customers tend to shy away from goat, front of house Dhee Raj explains. We’re too wimpy to tackle the entree, even if it does come sauteed with garlic, onion and spices, but the signature goat curry is a completely different matter.

Hamro Aangan has spicy food without the heat. Picture: Braden Fastier

The goat meat (bones and all) in this traditional dish from Eastern Nepal is cooked with cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger and garlic onions and capsicum. It’s spicy without any blast of chilli and not at all greasy.

For vegetarians, there’s plenty of choice, from the popular vegetarian daal bhat thali, an all in one platter of rice, daal, white radish pickles and salad to a cauliflower and potato curry cooked in a tomato base.

Hamro Aangan is cheap, cheerful and worth a try.

Twitter: @beverley_hudec

Hamro Aangan

334 Sydney Rd, Balgowlah, 8540 2921

Open: Sunday- Thursday, 5-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 5-11pm

Go for: Daal bhat thali, $15.90; Morang Khasi, $18.90

Vibe: Cheap and cheerful

BYO: $3 a head, wine only

Bottom line: $66 for two