Was Reading Tintin in Tibet.....

TSAMPA
- 1 CUP ROASTED BARLEY FLOUR
- BUTTER
- TEA

Process:
1) Mix barley flour and tea to make a paste.
2) Add tea to desired thickness.
3) Fold to blend, then enjoy.

Serves 1-2


Tsampa

When I was a chef at a Tibetan retreat center, I always enjoyed browing barley. The Tibetans would put the ground barley flour in a zip-lock bag along with butter and tea, then mix it neatly with their fingers & break off small balls to eat.

Tsampa the Old Fashioned Way

2lbs. Hulled Barley
water
1 large Wok with two handles
large wire strainer
large metal bowl for catching sand
Large bowl for barley
Fine sand (clean)
1 stone grinder for grains
1 pillow case

Soak barley in water for 24 hours. Make sure water covers barley.
After 24 hours, rise then let barley dry till semi moist.
Heat sand in wok. Test sand temperature by splashing a little water on the sand
If the sand poofs into steam it's hot enough.
When sand is hot enough take a cup full of barley pour it into the hot sand in the wok.
Pick wok up with both hands and flip the sand and barley in the air in a skillfull way that the whole mixture falls back into the wok.
At this point the "puffing" of the barley will commence as will be
audibly noticeable by little puffing noises. When done the
barley should be medium gold brown in color.

Pour the hot sand and barley through the strainer and into the bowl.
The puffed barley should be in the strainer.
Place the puffed barley in another bowl and return the sand to the wok.
Repeat this till you pass out from the heat or till all the barley is puffed.
After the barley is puffed and cooled, place the barley into pillow case and tie the opened end closed.
With your bare feet knead the bag of barley to remove the husks and left over sand bits. Repeat if necessary.
Remove barley from pillow case when complete.
Set grinder for fine (like flour) and grind away.
Place Tsampa flour in an air tight container.

Mix small amounts with with hot water or tea and butter, knead briefly, break off into balls & enjoy!


TIBETAN BUTTER TEA

"1 tablespoon loose tea leaves (preferably a smoky black tea)
1/4 cup half-and-half (or half cream and half milk)
1 tablespoon butter
Salt

A) Boil tea in 4 cups of water for about 10 minutes. Remove from flame.
B) Remove the tea leaves from the liquid by pouring through a sieve. Add
half-and-half and butter to the strained tea.
C) Add salt to taste. (Tibetans like it very salty!)
This will cool the tea, so warm it briefly over a low flame, making sure the tea doesn't boil. For a frothy tea, pour it back and forth between two containers a few times."


TIBETAN BARLEY SOUP
"Barley can thrive even on marginal land. You can get pot barley at health
food stores. If possible avoid the pearled, or polished, barley, which is
less tasty and less nutritious.

Cut up enough mushrooms to measure 2 cups. Melt 2 tablespoons butter (yak
butter if available) in a larg saucepan and stir in vegetables until they
are well coated. Continue cooking over medium heat until softened,
stirring occasionally. Mix in 1/4 cup pot barley and then add 4 cups water
(preferable from the nearest mountain spring). Bring rapidly to a boil,
then simmer about an hour, covered. Just before it is done, add 1
tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce) and a grind or so of pepper, if desired. When
the soup is ready, it should be of a chowder-like thickness and the grains
should be soft but chewy. There will be a golden sheen on the surface and
the heavenly smell will waft you across the Himalayas."