Introduction
Festival season is the most important time of year for Nepali families in the UK — and the kitchen is at the heart of every celebration. From the first day of Dashain through to Tihar and Chhath Puja, Nepali festival cooking requires specific ingredients that you simply cannot find in a regular British supermarket.
This complete shopping list covers everything you need to cook authentic Nepali festival food in the UK — all available to order online at MasalaMart with nationwide delivery.
Dashain Shopping List (October 2026)
Dashain is the biggest Nepali festival — a 15-day celebration centred around family, feasting, and the goddess Durga. In 2026, Vijaya Dashami (Tika Day) falls on 21 October.
Meat and Protein
- Goat/mutton — the traditional Dashain meat; buy from a halal butcher or South Asian meat shop
- Whole chicken — for khasi ko masu-style chicken curry
- Eggs — for egg curry and snacks
Grains and Staples
- Basmati rice (5kg+) — for daily Dal Bhat and festival meals
- Chiura (beaten rice) — essential for Dashain snacking and ritual
- Selroti flour mix or fine rice flour — for making sel roti
- Maida (plain flour) — for sel roti and sweets
Dal (Lentils)
- Kalo dal (black lentils)
- Musuro dal (red lentils)
- Mixed Masyang Dal
- Chana dal
Spices and Flavourings
- Timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper) — for achar and meat marinades
- Turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chilli powder
- Garam masala
- Mustard oil — for cooking and achar
- Ghee — used generously during Dashain
- Jimbu — for dal and vegetable dishes
Vegetables and Fresh Produce
- Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger — always
- Green leafy vegetables for saag
- Radish — for mula ko achar
- Fresh coriander and green chillies
Sweets and Snacks
- Haldiram’s mixture or Bombay mix
- Indian sweets (barfi, ladoo, jalebi) — for sharing with guests
- Dried fruits and nuts (cashews, raisins, almonds)
- Biscuits and namkeen for tea time
Drinks
- Nepali or Indian tea (loose leaf or bags)
- Cardamom and ginger for chai
- Soft drinks for children and guests
Tihar Shopping List (October/November 2026)
Tihar — the festival of lights — is Nepal’s second biggest celebration. In 2026, Tihar falls in late October/early November. Each of the five days has its own rituals and food traditions.
Sel Roti Essentials
Sel roti is the iconic Nepali ring-shaped fried bread made during Tihar — slightly sweet, crispy outside, soft inside. It is gifted between households and eaten at every gathering.
- Fine rice flour or sel roti flour mix
- Sugar
- Ghee or oil (for frying)
- Cardamom powder
- Banana (optional, for softness)
- Fennel seeds
Lakshmi Puja Sweets
On Laxmi Puja night, sweets are offered to the goddess of wealth and shared with family:
- Halwa (semolina halwa) — needs semolina (suji), ghee, sugar, cardamom, raisins
- Kheer (rice pudding) — needs basmati rice, full-fat milk, sugar, cardamom
- Indian mithai — barfi, ladoo, and gulab jamun are all appropriate
- Mishri (rock sugar / thread mishri) — used in puja offerings
Bhai Tika Essentials
Bhai Tika — the final day of Tihar — celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters apply tika to their brothers and gifts and sweets are exchanged.
- Sel roti (freshly made)
- Assorted sweets and dry fruits
- Chiura
- Fruits
- Nuts (cashews, walnuts, almonds)
Diyo and Puja Items
- Mustard oil or ghee — for lighting diyas (oil lamps)
- Cotton wicks
- Incense sticks (agarbatti)
- Flowers — marigolds if available
- Vermillion powder (sindur) and rice for tika
Chhath Puja Shopping List
Chhath Puja — celebrated mainly by Madhesi and Bihari communities — involves fasting and offerings to the sun god. The food preparations are very specific.
Thekua (Traditional Chhath Prasad)
- Wheat flour (atta)
- Jaggery (gud) — must be natural, unrefined
- Ghee
- Coconut (grated)
- Cardamom and fennel seeds
Fruits and Offerings
- Sugarcane (if available)
- Bananas, oranges, apples, coconut
- Turmeric root (raw haldi)
- Ginger root
- Seasonal fruits
Fasting Staples
- Sendha namak (rock salt) — used during the fasting period instead of regular salt
- Sabudana (tapioca pearls) — for fasting-friendly khichdi
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes — for fasting meals
- Fresh fruits for breaking the fast
General Festival Store Cupboard Checklist
Keep these stocked throughout the entire festival season (October–November):
- ☐ Basmati rice (5kg)
- ☐ Musuro dal, kalo dal, moong dal
- ☐ Ghee (500ml)
- ☐ Mustard oil (1 litre)
- ☐ Timur
- ☐ Jimbu
- ☐ Turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, garam masala
- ☐ Selroti flour or rice flour
- ☐ Chiura
- ☐ Mishri (rock sugar)
- ☐ Haldiram’s snacks
- ☐ Indian mithai / sweets
- ☐ Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves
- ☐ Dried fruits and nuts
- ☐ Semolina (suji) for halwa
- ☐ Incense sticks
Order Your Festival Groceries Online in the UK
Many of these ingredients — particularly timur, jimbu, chiura, selroti flour, mishri, and gundruk — are very difficult to find in UK supermarkets. MasalaMart stocks a wide range of authentic Nepali and South Asian festival groceries, delivered anywhere in the UK.
Order early — festival season is busy and delivery times can be longer. We recommend ordering at least a week before the festival to ensure everything arrives in time.
Free delivery on orders over £50. Use code FESTIVAL10 for 10% off orders over £50.
Shop now at masalamart.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Dashain 2026?
Ghatasthapana (the first day of Dashain) is 11 October 2026. Vijaya Dashami (Tika Day, the most important day) is 21 October 2026.
When is Tihar 2026?
Tihar 2026 begins in late October and runs into early November. Laxmi Puja and Bhai Tika are the most celebrated days. Check the Nepali calendar for exact dates.
Can I get Nepali festival groceries delivered in the UK?
Yes — MasalaMart delivers authentic Nepali and South Asian groceries across the UK, including to cities with large Nepali communities such as London, Reading, Coventry, Birmingham, and Leeds.
What is sel roti made of?
Sel roti is made from fine rice flour (or a sel roti flour mix), sugar, ghee, cardamom, and water — mixed into a batter and deep-fried into ring shapes. The batter consistency is key: it should be thick enough to hold its shape when poured into hot oil.