Every morning, before the restaurant fills with customers, Pahal Singh Khadka begins preparing dishes that have been part of his life for as long as he can remember. The aromas of toasted spices, freshly baked bread, and simmering curry carry memories of Nepal and the life he has built in Kosovo over the past 15 years.
At the Himalayan Gorkha Indian & Nepalese Restaurant in Pristina, recipes passed down through generations help keep that connection alive. Through food, Pahal shares a part of his heritage with the community he now calls home.
Pahal, 36, arrived in Kosovo from Nepal in 2011, joining his brother, who had established the restaurant several years earlier. What began as an opportunity to work alongside family gradually became a new chapter in his life.
Over the years, he built a life in Pristina as a chef, helping grow the family business while introducing local customers to the flavours and traditions he brought with him from Nepal.
Through the restaurant, recipes and cooking techniques passed down through generations have found a new home in Kosovo, introducing customers to flavours from thousands of kilometres away.
Many of the dishes Pahal prepares draw directly from his childhood in Nepal. Among them are Chicken Tikka Masala, served with fragrant basmati rice and traditional naan bread, as well as Chana Masala, a lightly spiced chickpea and potato curry cooked with onions and fresh herbs.
For Pahal, these dishes are reminders of family meals, celebrations, and everyday moments from his childhood in Nepal. They reflect the food culture he grew up with and the traditions that continue to shape his life today.
While ingredients may sometimes differ and customers’ tastes may vary, the recipes remain largely unchanged. Preparing them allows Pahal to maintain a connection to Nepal while sharing a part of that heritage with others.
Although he has built his life in Kosovo, Pahal continues to visit his family in Nepal and remains closely connected to his relatives there. Those visits help him stay connected to his roots and bring back memories and traditions that continue to inspire his cooking.
(This story written by Dijar Mehmeti, Communication Associate with IOM Kosovo reprinted with courtesy credit to IOM)
