Tibetan · snack
Tsampa
糌粑 · Zānbā
Roasted barley flour kneaded into small balls with butter tea or water — the staple food of Tibet.
Tsampa (zānbā) is the foundation of Tibetan nutrition, made from barley grown at altitude on the Tibetan Plateau. The barley is dry-roasted in large iron woks until it smells nutty and toasted, then ground to a fine flour. To eat, a small amount of tsampa is placed in a bowl and mixed with butter tea (or water, or yoghurt) — the diner kneads the mixture with their right hand, rolling it into a dense, slightly sticky ball. The roasting process pre-cooks the barley, so tsampa requires no further heat. The flavour is earthy, nutty and slightly sweet. High in calories and protein, it was historically the portable ration of Tibetan nomads and travellers. Tibetan monks eat tsampa with butter tea as their morning meal. It is also used to create ceremonial offerings (torma) shaped into ritual forms.
Where to try
Tibet: available at traditional Tibetan restaurants and monastery guesthouses throughout Lhasa, Shigatse and rural areas. Most easily experienced at teahouses near the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
Dietary notes
Barley, butter. Vegetarian. Gluten (barley). Traditional version uses yak butter.
Cities to try Tsampa
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