Ladakhi Kitchen
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Butter Tea
It is made of tea leaves, butter, and salt.
To make the best butter-tea, the tea is first boiled, till it gets dark brown. After being skimmed, it is shaken several times in the cylinder with some fresh butter and salt. This makes the best tea.
Ladakhis often drink up to 40 cups of it a day. Since butter is the main ingredient, butter tea is a very warming drink, providing lots of energy (calories) and is particularly suited to high altitudes. The butter also helps prevent chapped lips.
According to the Tibetan custom, butter tea is drunk in separate sips, and after each sip the host refills the bowl to the brim. Thus, the guest never drains his bowl; rather, it is constantly topped up. If the guest does not wish to drink, the best thing to do is leave the tea untouched until the time comes to leave and then drain the bowl. In this way etiquette is observed and the host will not be offended.
How to make butter tea
Ingredients 1 tablespoon regular black tea (preferably Nepalese or Indian)
3 cups whole milk (or 1½ cup "half-and-half"/"cereal" cream + 1½ cup water)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt to taste
Procedure 1. Boil tea with milk for 2-10 min, depending upon the strength of tea desired
2. Strain into tea cups.
3. Add butter and salt. Stir thoroughly - ideally by carefully using a blender - and serve.
Makes two servings.
Momo’s
Momos are made of a simple flour-and-water dough--white flour Meat, such as minced chicken meat combined with any or all of the following: onions, shallots, garlic, and cilantro/coriander. The mixture is usually spiced with salt, pepper, and often ground cumin. Some people also add finely puréed tomatoes, though many variations are possible.
Ingredients (Makes 30 momos) 4 cups: Wheat flour
750 gm: Meat minces
2 large: Onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized: Ginger, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon: Salt
Method 1. Mix well wheat flour with 2 cups of water and knead into a stiff paste, roll out on a floured board till it is very thin. The rolled dough should be about 2 feet square.
2. Cut in circle with the rim of tea cup.
3. Place a circle of dough on your left hand, slightly stretch the edges and place about a teaspoon of filling in the centre.
4. Then with your right thumb and forefinger pleat the dough together over the centre of the meat, forming a pin-wheel design. Your left thumb is used to tuck the minced meat down as you go, and the dumpling turns on your palm as you pleat around it. A special steamer locally called mokto is required.
5. Filled up dumplings are placed on oiled racks, slightly separated in the mokto.
6. Bottom of the mokto is filled with water and steam the dumplings for 20-25 min.
7. Momo is ready to serve hot.
8. Momo is eaten with meat/vegetable soup, and tomato pickle.
For more Information:
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Thenthuk
The main ingredients are wheat flour dough, mixed vegetables and some pieces of mutton or yak meat. Vegetable thenthuk is a common modern day option.
Preparation
Making the soup consists of mixing the flour, kneading the dough, chopping the vegetables and meat and boiling the soup. Start working with the dough when you are sure that everything boiling in the soup is well cooked. Shaping the dough and flattening it and then pulling and cutting it off, all at the same time, right into the boiling soup. As soon as you are finished with the dough, the noodle soup is ready to cool down and be served.
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