Tibetan Food

Tibetan Food – Barley

Barley is main material of Tsamba. First stir-fry the barley, and grind it into flour, then eat it with butter tea. Tibetans often put barley and pea together to make tsamba. The tsamba which made up of barley is not only the traditional food of Tibetan, but also appears in main restaurants in Lhasa as Tibetan meal, become important food when welcome guests. In religious festivals, Tibetans also throw the tsamba to express blessing.

Tibetan Food – Beef and Mutton

Tibetans mainly eat beef, mutton and dairy products. As we know, beef and mutton contain high calories, which is helpful for resisting cold for the people on high plateau. It is very interesting that some Tibetans have the habit of eating fresh meat. If you come to some houses of herdsman, you can see the dried beef and mutton hanging in the house or tent. If you visit these families, the host will present some dried meat to you, and invite you to taste it. This kind of flavor only can be tasted on high plateau.

Tibet Food – Drinks

Various drinks are necessary part of Tibetan food. The Tibetan drinks include butter tea, sweet tea, and barley wine and so on. The butter tea not only can eat with the main food – tsamba, but also can be regarded as daily drinks. In Tibet, to welcome guests with butter tea is ancient tradition of Tibetan. No matter you come into the tent of herdsman, or the small house of peasant, as well as visit friends and relationships, the host will present you mellow butter tea. When welcome and see off guests, Tibetans will present a white Hada and butter tea to bless the guests. The other Tibetan drink is barley wine, which made up from barley. In Tibet, all people will drink this wine. Tibetans will make large amount of this wine before festivals. From March to August, Tibetans will bring mellow barley wine to enjoy the festival on grassland in every festival. We can see the charm of Tibetan wine culture from this.

Tibetan Food – Ghee

You can see ghee everywhere in Tibet. It is necessary food in Tibetan life. The ghee is extracted from milk. Due to milk separator is not widely used in Tibet, Tibetans still use traditional way to extract milk. Tibetan women first heat up the milk, then, put the warm milk into a big wooden bucket, and then whip it heavily for hundreds times to make the water separate from oil. Until appear a light yellow fattiness on the surface, take it up and put into leather bag. It will be ghee after it becoming cold. The ghee is with high nutrient value. The ways to eat ghee include making it into butter tea, or mixing with tsamba. In festivals, Tibetans will use ghee to fry food.

Tibetan Food – Butter Tea

Butter tea is daily drinks of Tibetan. In general, Tibetans will drink several cups of butter tea in the morning before going to work. If you visit Tibetan family, the host will present you the butter tea hospitably. There is a series of customs about drinking butter tea in Tibet. In general, people do not drink up the cup of butter tea at once. When you drink a little, the host will add the cup full. If you can not drink more, please leave the cup full, and drink up it when you leave. That's polite in Tibet.

Tibetan Food – Tsamba

Tsamba is main food in Tibetan life. When have tsamba, Tibetans will first put small amount of butter tea into bow, then put some tsamba flour into it, use finger to mix it until it can be pinched into dollop, and then eat it. Tsamba is with more nutrient than winter wheat, and more convenient for taking. If you want to go out, you only need to take a wooden bow, a bag of tsamba flour and some tea. That will be ok.

Tibetan Food – Barley Wine

The barley wine is a kind of wine with low alcohol content which made up from barley. It is necessary drinks in festivals. When you visit Tibetan family, the host will invite you to drink barley wine. When you take a drag at the wine, the host will add it. This will repeat for three times. At last, you should drink up the cup of barley wine. Then, you can drink the barley wine freely.

Tibetan Food – Dried Meat

The dried meat is favorite food of Tibetans. In fact, the dried meat is often made in winter, about in the end of November when the temperature is below zero. Tibetans will cut off beef and mutton, and hang them in shady place so that the moisture will be removed by cold wind, to keep it fresh. Until the March in next year, Tibetan will eat it fresh or bake it, very delicious.