If you read the recent post about the upcoming visit in this area of Gary Mortensen, you may have read that it was over a cup of butter tea that he made a promise to come back and build a school for those rural children.
Did it make you think - butter tea, what in the world is that? Where is it in the Steeped catalogue?
Butter tea is a drink of the Tibetans and Chinese minorities in southwestern China. It is also consumed in Bhutan. It is made from tea leaves, yak butter, and salt.
Drinking butter tea is a regular part of Tibetan life. Before work, a Tibetan will typically down several bowlfuls of this tangy beverage, and it is always served to guests. Nomads are said to 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.[1]
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.
If you'd like to try making your own butter tea, the author of the Not Quite Nigella blog shares this recipe along with the reaction of guinea pigs - er tasters! She reasons that if we put whipped cream on hot chocolate, how different is this? Yes, and lots of people love a dollop of foamed milk on their chai, so... maybe it's not impossible. (P.S. the photo of the pot and tea in the cups also comes from her blog site):
Himalayan Salted Butter Tea
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 2 cups
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 2 teabags of black tea
- 4 teaspoons of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of butter (her butter was unsalted, hence the salt)
- salt to taste
1. Boil the milk with the teabags for 2-5 minutes. Add sugar and using a whisk, dissolve and then add butter and salt to taste. Whisk throughly so that it is foamy and the butter is completely emulsified.
