Tibetan Food – Tsamba

Tibetan Food – Brief Introduction of Tsamba

Tsamba is the staple Tibetan food. Tibetans will have tsamba for the three meals in a day. The name of tsamba may sounds very special. In fact, it is fried barley flour. It is similar with the fried flour in North China. But the fried flour in North China is first grinded, and then fry.

Tibetan Food – How to Eat Tsamba

When you eat tsamba, first put a little ghee into a blow, pour some tea, and add some barley flour, and then use fingers to mix them. When mix the tsamba, first use the third finger to slightly pound the barley flour toward bowl bottom in order to avoid the tea overflow out the bowl. Then, turn the bowl and use fingers to fix the blow and press the barley flour into the tea. When the barley flour, tea and ghee are fully mixed and can be pinched into dollop with hand, it can be eaten. Tibetans will use hand to mix the barley flour and pinch it into dollop when have it, and use hand to put the tsamba into mouth. In general, Tibetans do not use chopsticks or spoon when have meals, but use hands to grad. This kind is similar with Indians.

The tsamba is very suitable for Tibetan for its easy making methods and convenience to take. Tibetans will hang a tsamba bag on this waist when go afar. If they are hungry on the way, they will take some tsamba from the bag to eat. Sometimes, they will take out a wooden bowl, put some tsamba, butter tea and little salt in the bowl, mix them, and eat with hands. Sometimes, Tibetans will eat tsamba while drinking butter tea. Sometimes, put tsamba into a leather bag which named "Tangu", add some butter tea into it; then, grad at the mouth of the bag, use the other hand to pinch it. After a while, the delicious tsamba can be eaten.

Tibetan Food – Other Uses of Tsamba

In Tibetan New Year's Day, every family will put an auspicious wooden bucket – which is named "Zhusuo Qima" on Tibetan style cupboard, with barley, sapodilla plum and so on in it, and insert barley tassel, wheat tassel and "Zizhuo" which is decorated with sun, moon, star and some other patterns. When neighbors, relationships and friends come, the host will take out the "Zhusuo Qima", us hand to grad little tsamba, throw toward sky for three times, and then grad some to put into mouth, and say "Zhaxi Delie"(Every things goes well" to express blessing.