Monpa butter tea
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Salted tea churned with butter into a rich, warming drink, served many times a day and offered to every guest in Monpa homes.
Region: Tawang and West Kameng, Arunachal PradeshOccasion: All day; welcoming guests; monastery gatheringsTime: 20 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp brick tea or strong black tea leaves
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp butter (yak butter if available)
- ¼ cup milk (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
Method
- Boil the tea leaves in the water for 10 minutes until dark and strong. Strain.
- Pour the hot tea into a wooden churn or a blender with the butter, salt and milk.
- Churn or blend for 1–2 minutes until the butter is fully mixed and the tea is smooth and frothy.
- Reheat gently without boiling and serve in small cups, topping up each cup as the guest drinks.
History
Butter tea is drunk across the Tibetan Buddhist Himalaya. Brick tea was traditionally traded over the mountains, and butter came from the herders' own yaks.
Significance
Offering butter tea is the first act of hospitality in a Monpa home. The butter and salt also help people cope with the cold and dry air of the high valleys.