Everyone rushed to get laphing as a snack after school when I was growing up in Nepal. My friends and I would wait in line at a small street stall as the vendor cut slippery sheets of cooled jelly and sprinkled vibrant red chili oil on top. It was affordable, refreshing and amazingly flavorful and it always tasted better when shared by those you loved. Now that I’m away from home, I’m missing the same cold heat, so I chose to write about this dish, which holds so much significance in culture and personal comfort for me.

Laphing is a Tibetan cold dish made from mung bean starch. It is smooth, spicy and very refreshing. It may appear very complex to make, but it requires very few ingredients and can make a whole lot and serve several people at once, making it an ultimate student food. It can be enjoyed as it is, topped with a variety of crunchy ingredients, or contained within as a puri-like roll with potato and Wai Wai noodles, another classic snack growing up.

Ingredients

To make jelly:

– 1 cup mung bean starch

– 3 cups water

– ½ teaspoon table salt

For the sauce:

– 2 tablespoons soy sauce

– 2 tablespoons white vinegar

– 1 tablespoon chili oil

– 1 tablespoon minced garlic

– ½ tablespoon table salt

Optional add-ins and fillings:

– ¼ cup crushed peanuts

– ½ cup cucumber, very thinly sliced

– ½ cup lightly mashed, boiled potato (for stuffed laphing)

– 1 pack of Wai Wai noodles, cooked

– Chili oil, crushed peanuts, or chips (for filled laphing) 

Directions

To make jelly, combine 1 cup mung bean starch with 3 cups of water. Whisk everything together until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon salt and combine. Put everything in a pot and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly for 5–7 minutes. It will thicken, becoming glossy and pudding-like. Once it has attained the desired consistency and sheen, take it off the pot.

 Transfer the hot liquid to a tray or shallow container and let it cool fully before setting. Once set, take it from the tray.

Classic Laphing

Cut the jelly into strips or broad sheets, then layer it with your favourite toppings like cucumber and crushed peanuts.

Laphing filled

Place a layer of mashed potatoes on the jelly sheet. It should be topped with chilli oil, Wai Wai noodles and crushed peanuts or chips. It should be tightly wrapped and cut into pieces. The sauce must be placed on top of it. 

Laphing should be served chilled and enjoyed promptly for the best texture. Plain jelly sheets for laphing can be stored in an airtight jar for up to two days before being served with your sauce. Whether made with vegetables and peanuts or mashed potatoes with Wai Wai noodles, it is a simple and economical method to convey a taste of Nepal to university students. I hope this recipe encourages people to try something new and enjoy a dish that’s fun, affordable and full of bold flavor.

Edited by Arohi Rai and Stuti Khadka