Butter Tea
When I lived in the monastery in India, I would drink butter tea every day with my breakfast, which were served in the large canteen dining area. Butter tea, also known as po cha , is a traditional drink of the people in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Bhutan, upper India and Tibet.
Read the article about this traditional cultural drink of the Tibetan people and complete the sentences with no more than TWO WORDS from the reading.
Because of the _____________ of cow's milk, it is now regularly used in the making of butter tea.
Butter tea is especially effective for people who live at _________.
The _______ in the tea may also help in reducing damage to lips.
When eating tsampa while drinking butter tea, it is important to _______ them together.
The best tea is made by mixing the tea concentrate with butter and salt in a container which is then ________ forcefully.
In modern times, a __________ is often used to churn the tea.
Butter tea is traditionally made from tea leaves, yak butter, water, and salt, although increasingly butter made from cow's milk is used due its wider availability. Butter tea originated in the Himalayan region between Greater Tibet and the Indian subcontinent.
Drinking butter tea is a regular part of Tibetan life. Before work, a Tibetan will typically enjoy several bowlfuls of this beverage, and it is always served to guests. Since butter is the main ingredient, butter tea provides plenty of caloric energy and is particularly suited to high altitudes. It is believed that the butter may also help 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.
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 visitor 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.
Butter tea is also used for eating tsampa, a Tibetan staple foodstuff, made of roasted barley flour. The tea is either poured onto it, or the tsampa is dipped into the tea. In both methods, the secret is to mix the two well.
The highest quality tea is made by boiling the tea leaves in water for half a day, achieving a dark brown color. It is then skimmed, and poured into a cylinder with fresh yak butter and salt which is then shaken vigorously. The result is a liquid that is about the thickness of a thick oil. It is then poured into tea-pots or jars.
Nowadays, when tea leaves, yak butter and wooden butter churns are not available, people often make butter tea using tea bags, different types of butter available in the market and a blender to churn.
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