Juju dhau tasting and Pottery Square

Start in Pottery Square, a short walk south-west of Durbar Square. Families here still shape pots on heavy wheels set spinning with a stick, then lay the wet clay out in rows to dry in the sun before firing them under straw and ash. You will see water jars, flowerpots, oil lamps for Tihar and the shallow clay bowls used for curd. Most potters let you try the wheel for a small fee, and children love it.

Then walk to the shops around Durbar Square and Taumadhi for juju dhau. The name means king curd in Newar. It is made from buffalo milk, boiled down, sweetened and set overnight in unglazed clay bowls, which draw moisture out through their walls and leave a thick, creamy curd with a firm top. A small bowl costs NPR 60–150. Locals eat it as a dessert and serve it at weddings and feasts.

Finish with a Newari snack, such as bara (lentil pancake) or chatamari, in one of the courtyard cafes. If you are here in winter, look for yomari, a steamed rice-flour dumpling filled with molasses and sesame, made for the Yomari Punhi full moon in December. Carry the empty clay bowl home as a souvenir; many people do.