Thump, thump, thump. The sound of a stone mallet smashing together a recipe of dried local chillis, salt and spices until they are pulverized into a beautiful, but potent, chilly power. This was the sounds and sights outside the bedroom window of our teahouse. He continued pounding the chilly mixture all day, only stopping to eat and sip on home brewed rice beer (not very tasty, just a straight alcohol flavor, yes…I did try it.). That night, we joined the family for a beer and some local Nepalize tv around the dinning table covered with a heavy fabric cloth which draped down to your knees enclosing a small bucket of hot coals for warmth. The next day began again … thump, thump, thump.
