Butter tea—the favorite Tibetan beverage

Butter tea is the most popular traditional hot beverage on the Tibetan plateau. Known as Bod Cha (Tibetan tea) or Cha Supma(Churned tea), it is a crucial part of Tibetans’ daily life, be it as a part of the meals as well as for casual drink.

The intimate relation between Tibetans and the butter tea can be traced back to as early as 10th century. However, it is believed that the favourite beverage did not gain its nearly universal status on the plateau until about the 13the century, when the Sakya Dynasty ruled Tibet.

Tea leaves, butter, and salt are the main ingredients for the Tibetan tea. The first step of the preparation is to produce a dark brown tea by rigorously boiling the tea leaves in water for long time. This is done once in a while, and the concentrated tea is produced in amplequantity to last many rounds of butter tea preparation. The concentrate is then blended with salt and a huge lump of butter in a traditionalinstrument for churning tea, called Dhongmo in Tibetan, and churned vigorously by manual action. But nowadays it is common in many households to see electric blenders doing the job of Dhongmo.

Butter tea is usually prepared in relatively huge quantity, approximately more than a liter per family member to last through entire course of the day. And a special wooden bowl is preferred for having butter tea.

Drinking butter tea is a very significant part of Tibetan culture with its ubiquitous feature at any point of the time. It is consumed as a part of breakfast where it is finds a perfection combination with Tsampa. It’s common to see people sipping butter tea while having casual chats with one’s co-workers or friends at any part of the day, and then it is also readily offered to any guests visiting your home.

Butter tea is also served during many of the religious ceremonies held at monasteries, to the participating monks as well the mass.

While the salty butter tea is a very close synonym with Tibetan culture, there are hilarious tales circulating it with few foreign guests felt it tastes like a soup! But it should be an indispensible part of your Tibet Tour experience. So why not try it for yourself!