Beautiful, picturesque, and serene are the three words that come into our mind when we think about Tibet. The combination of snowy mountains and crystal clear lakes is one of the finest examples of the beauty of nature. Tibet is an extremely popular tourist destination because of its remarkable hospitality, stunning location, and lip-smacking food. Tibetan cuisine heroes the local produce like barley and yak meat. Here are some of the most amazing and exotic dishes that Tibet has to offer.
13 Delicious Foods to Eat in Tibet
1. Butter tea
Butter tea is a must-have drink for everyone who visits Tibet. Authentic butter tea is made from tea leaves, yak butter, water, and salt. It is the national beverage of Tibet. It is consumed mostly in the low-temperature regions as it provides warmth to the body.
2. Momo
You cannot call yourself a true momo lover if you have not tried the authentic Tibetan momo. In Tibet, yak meat is mostly used for stuffing and is commonly called Gong’ a Momo. They also have Shoogoi Momo in which the dough is prepared using mashed potatoes which filled with a little amount of yak meat and then fried. The soft and tender momo along with spicy chili sauce is one of the most delectable dishes of Tibet
3. Gyaho
Gyaho is a broth style dish with yak meatballs and vermicelli noodles along with kombu, mushrooms, and bamboo sprouts. This one-pot recipe is aromatic and flavorful. All the ingredients complement each other well to pack an intense flavor in each bite. This dish is mostly eaten by the senior monks during ceremonies so it has a great significance in Tibetan culture.
4. Tsampa
Tsampa is one of the most widely eaten dishes in Tibet. Barley is kneaded with yak butter and cheese inside a yak skin bag. This dish is served with raw yak meat or chili oil.
5. Cheese fungus soup
Cheese fungus soup is an exotic delicacy of Tibet. It is made from fungus, yak cheese, chili, and barley. It is served with a Tibetan bread called Tingmo. The soup is milky, smooth, and rich. It has a porridge-like consistency. You should definitely try it if you visit Tibet.
6. Thenthuk
Thenthuk is traditional Tibetan yak noodles. The noodles are thick as they are handmade and go amazingly well with the chewy and fatty yak meat. The soup also has hints of citrus flavor and the taste is addictive. It can be made spicy and more fragrant by adding chilly oil. Its warm, hearty, and a treat for the taste buds.
7. Laping
Laping is a dish made with mung beans, radish, green onions, chilly oil accompanied by a fragrant broth. The moong beans are cooked to perfection so that they melt in the mouth and the radish is crunchy to give this dish a complexity of contrasting textures. The hotness of chili oil is not too overpowering and ties the whole dish together. It is a tasty and healthy alternative for vegetarian people who want to enjoy the deliciousness of Tibetan cuisine.
8. Lunggoi Katsa
Lunggoi Katsa is one of the rarest and exotic dishes that Tibetan cuisine has to offer. It is a stewed sheep’s head with fennel and salt. This dish is eaten with chili powder. The most exciting part about this dish is that each part of the sheep’s head has a different flavor. Eating this dish is a once in a lifetime experience.
9. Thue
Thue is a delicacy in Tibetan cuisine made with dri cheese, brown sugar, and unsalted sweet cream butter. It is eaten in the form of a cookie and is also used to stuff memos. It is extremely nourishing and the fats in this dish act as an excellent energy source.
10. Droma Mogu
Droma Mogu is a famous Tibetan sweet dish. Wild ginseng is cooked with yak butter and sugar. It is extremely healthy as ginseng has a lot of medicinal properties. So you can enjoy this dish without compromising your health.
11. Gundain
Gundain is a special pastry dish mainly eaten during the Tibetan New Year.It is made from barley grain yeast, dry curd cheese, wild ginseng, and brown sugar.This dish perfectly showcases the flavor of barley which is a staple ingredient in the Tibetan cuisine .
12. Bhatsa marku
This is a sweet version of mac and cheese eaten mostly during the holy month of Saka Dawa. The pasta is homemade and is cooked with dri cheese, yak butter, and lots of brown sugar. Yak cheese and butter give this rich and hearty dessert a characteristic taste.
13. Khapse
Khapse are deep-fried cookies or biscuits usually made during celebrations such as the Tibetan New Year or weddings. They are crunchy and full of the rich trademark Tibetan flavor. The cookies are made in various beautiful designs to make them a perfect delicacy to enjoy at festivals.
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