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Tibetan Butter tea (Bhoe Ja) is a unique traditional drink of Tibet. Each day all Tibetan will have is every morning with Tsampa ( Roasted barley flour) for breakfast. It helps the human body function better in the extreme environment of Tibetan Plateau.

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Traveller Guide to Tibetan Yak Butter tea

We often recommend travellers visiting Tibet to try it once, while there are in Tibet. It has an unexpected flavour as it is salty and thick as soup. People often refer to it as a soup rather than a tea.

Health benefit (Acclimatization)

There are many health benefits to drinking Butter tea. According to Tibetan Medicine combination of tea and butter helps balance mind and body. Here are few, which I found interesting;

  1. This Tibetan tea can help you acclimatize better to the altitude of Tibet. 
  2. Your body burns more calories in higher elevation. this tea is an excellent source of energy. 
  3. At the high altitude, our human body loses water much faster as compared with sea level. If you drink the water, our body will dispense it more quickly. Water and salt with the butter is a perfect combination.

Where to find the best Tibetan Yak Butter tea

You can find this tea in almost all the Tibetan homes, restaurants and Hotels. Yet you will find the best at the Nomad camp where the butter is fresh.
We often take traveller for a day tour to visit the Tibetan Nomad camp with the option of camping overnight.

How to make Yak butter tea.

It is straightforward to make a delicious this Tibetan tea in Home, anywhere. Follow here to learn about the ingredients and recipe of Yak butter tea.

Ingredients

  1. Butter: it is not necessary to get Yak butter. You can use any butter.
  2. Tea: In Tibet, we use brick tea from Yunnan province. Yet, you can use any tea. I can recommend Assam tea or Darjeeling tea.
  3. Salt: Any salt.
  4. Mixer: Traditionally in Tibet, we use churns to mix the tea. You can use any form of blender for the same purpose. 
  5. Water: As much as you please. 

Recipe for making Tibetan yak butter tea

  1. Boil water 
  2. Add tea as the water boils. Keep boiling for about 5 minutes. 
  3. Remove tea from the black tea.
  4. Put desire butter in the blender, add salt and milk powder ( In Tibet we don’t add milk). It is recommended to do outside the Tibet.
  5. Pour the hot black tea in a blender and mix it well.
  6. If you think the tea loses its heat. Pour the butter tea back to the teapot to heat up. Yet, do not let it boil. Otherwise, you will lose its taste. 
  7. Pour it in Teacup, and It is best to drink it hot. 

Complimentary food with butter tea.

For me, It is best to eat the butter tea is Tsampa (Barley flour). This combination becomes our daily breakfast. For the reader, I would like to recommend you to try the tea with bread (not sweat) or Bowl of rice ( mix tea with rice).

Etiquette of Tibetan tea custom

  • You will have to drink more than one full cup of butter tea. It is considered rude for drinking only one cup.
  • Do not bottom-up or empty the cup.
  • If you pour the tea. First, turn the thermos in a circular motion to mix it.
  • Pour on others cup before serving yourself.
  • If you had enough do not empty the cup. Instead, leave it full. You full cup signifies a safe journey ahead.

Conclusion

Above is a brief introduction of Tibetan Yak Butter tea for travellers visiting Tibet. I hope you will like this post. 

You can read more Tibet travel guide from this link or visit our travel agency website: https://itibettravel.com.

If you have any further questions about travelling to Tibet, please do write to us for a free travel consultant to Tibet. You can reach us at [email protected].

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