Lhasa Feature Food

Tibetan Food, just like  Tibetan culture and people has a very distinct character. Tibetan food is not only sustenance, but also helps Tibetan people survive the harsh climates. Their food keeps them warm, gives them energy, helps them with the high altitude, and gives them nutrients essential to the harsh climate. Due to the high altitude of Tibet, water boils at 90 degrees making cooking with water impossible, so Tibetan food has become very specialized. The Tibetan diet consists mostly of meat, milks and other high protein foods. Tsampa, which is a staple found at every Tibetan meal, is a dough made with roasted barley flour and yak butter. Another staple of Tibetan's diet is buttered tea. Tibetans drink butter tea because it warms them up. Buttered tea is quite salty. Some people think it tastes more like soup broth than tea.

Dough made from barley flour, called tsampa, is the staple food of Tibet. This is either rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called momos. Yak yogurt, butter and cheese are frequently eaten, and well-prepared yogurt is considered something of a prestige items.

Tsam-pa

Tibetan Butter Tea

Dried Yak Meat

Yak Yogurt

Highland Barley Cake

Tibetan Noodle