Four Treasures in Tibet

Four Treasures in Tibet

Butter is extracted from cattle and goat's milk. The local method for extracting butter in Tibet is very simple - warming up the milk, then pouring the milk into a large wooden barrel and beating the milk back and forth hundreds of times until the oil and water being separated. Then you can put the layer of pale yellow fat into a leather bag. When it cools, it becomes the butter. The butter is of high nutrition and there are many ways to eat it. Normally, it can be made to the butter tea.

Tsampa:

It is an important food for Tibetans. Tsampa is a Tibetan and Himalayan staple foodstuff, particularly prominent in the central part of the region. It is roasted flour, usually barley flour and sometimes also wheat flour. It is usually mixed with the salty Tibetan butter tea. Tsampa is quite simple to prepare; indeed, it is known as a convenience food and often used by the Sherpas, nomads and other travellers.

Highland Barley wine:

Highland Barley wine has low alcoholic content. It is made from the local green barley. Tibetans, men and women, old and young all like to drink it. It is a must-have drink for festivals. The production process of barley wine is unique. First, they wash and cook the highland barley; Second, they put the distiller's yeast into the barley when its temperature decreases; Then, pour the barley into a wooden barrel and seal the barrel; last, after 2-3 days, add some water into the barrel. After 1-2 days, the wine is made.

The yellow barley wine has a sweet and sour taste and a low alcoholic content, which is similar to beer. There’s a tradition drinking barley wine: you shall take a sip of the wine first, and then the host fills up your cup. And after the second and third sips, you shall drink the whole cup of the wine.

Air-Dried meat:

Air-dried meat is a very distinctive food commonly found in Tibet and the northwestern region of Inner Mongolia. At the end of each year, when the temperature drops to less than zero degrees Celsius, the Tibetans cut the beef and mutton into small strips, and hang them in the shade in order to let them dry naturally. Then in February and March next year, the meat can be eaten. The meat is crispy and has a unique taste.