Taste Tibet
FAM I LY R E C I P E S F ROM T H E H I M A L AYA S JULIE KLEEMAN & YE S H I J A M PA
Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Our story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 What is Tibetan food?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Food as medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Food in Tibetan daily life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Shifting culinary and cultural landscapes. . . 21 At the Tibetan table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Mindful eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Some recipe notes and tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Breakfast Cold Dishes Rice and Stir-Fries Noodles, Soups and Stews Dumplings, Pasties and Bread
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Making and eating momos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sauces and Dips Street Food Favourites Sweet Tooth
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Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Pronunciation Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Heavenly Vegan Momos
Makes about 40 momos
These may be the dish for which Taste Tibet is most famous – we shift huge quantities of these momos at our restaurant and stall. They are almost as healthy as they sound, and many confirmed meat-eaters actually prefer them. Serve with Taste Tibet sepen (see page 190), Taste Tibet momo sauce (see page 194) or Walnut and chilli dip (see page 199). For the dough 500 g (31/3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting For the filling 1 sweetheart (pointed) cabbage, about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz), or the same weight of any other green cabbage 200 g (7 oz) spinach 200 g (7 oz) Chinese chives 2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons cooking oil
VEGAN
For the dough, put the flour into a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in about 250 ml (1 cup) of warm water – a hot handwash temperature is good – into the flour with one hand, while mixing with the other. Add just enough water to make a dough – you don’t want it to get too sticky. Knead until the dough forms a ball in the bowl, then cover and set aside for 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Wash the cabbage and chop it very finely, then put it into a large mixing bowl. Wash the spinach thoroughly and chop it finely, then add it to the bowl. Add the salt and oil and squish it through the vegetables with your hand – this will help to draw out excess moisture – then set aside for 5 minutes. Tip the vegetables into a colander and press down firmly with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Return the vegetables to the bowl. Chop the chives very finely and stir through the filling. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for a couple of minutes, then divide it into four equal pieces and return to the bowl. Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface – but don’t overdo it, as too much flour can stiffen the dough, making the momos harder to wrap later. Take the first piece of dough, keeping the rest covered in the bowl to stop them from drying out. Roll out the dough into a sausage shape about 25 cm (10 inches) long, then cut into ten equal slices, lightly flattening each one with your hand. Using a rolling pin, and making one wrapper at a time, push and pull the flattened piece of dough up and down quickly and firmly, holding it with your spare hand and turning it little by little as you go. The middle should end up a bit thicker than the outer edges, and it should fill the palm of your hand; it doesn’t need to be a perfect circle. When you’re ready to fill, wrap and fold your momos, follow the instructions on page 146–8 (the process is also shown on pages 150–51), shaping them however you like. For best results, steam these momos (see page 148) over a high heat for 13–16 minutes, cooking them in batches according to the size of your steamer. Dumplings, Pasties and Bread | Taste Tibet
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Cheesy Momos
Makes about 40 momos
Yeshi’s mum loves making these momos. Tibetan cheese is complex in flavour: sharp/sweet and with herbal hints, it makes for delicious dumplings. Feta is a good substitute here. It has all the sour creaminess of Tibetan cheeses and its crumbly texture means that the filling is quick to prepare. Yeshi’s mother likes to pair the cheese with pak choi, picking it while it’s still very young and tender, so have a go with pak choi if you can find it. Otherwise, spinach makes the momos very juicy – and the stems give a nice crunch, so don’t discard these as you chop. Serve your cheesy momos with Tomato sepen (see page 193) or Walnut and chilli dip (see page 199). For the dough 500 g (31/3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting For the filling 3 bunches of whole leaf spinach, about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) in total 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cooking oil 200 g (7 oz) feta cheese, finely diced
VEGETAR IAN
For the dough, put the flour into a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in about 250 ml (1 cup) of warm water – a hot handwash temperature is good – into the flour with one hand, while mixing with the other. Add just enough water to make a dough – you don’t want it to get too sticky. Knead until the dough forms a ball in the bowl, then cover and set aside for 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Finely chop the spinach – ideally the pieces should be as small as 5 mm (1/4 inch). Put it into a large mixing bowl, then fill the bowl with water and wash the spinach by swirling it with your hand. Leave it to stand for 2 minutes, then swirl again. Transfer the spinach to a colander in the sink and leave to drain for a minute or two. Rinse out the mixing bowl and tip the spinach back into it. Add the salt and oil and mix well by hand, then leave to stand for about 5 minutes. Put the feta into another mixing bowl. Now transfer the spinach into the feta bowl, batch by batch. Squeeze the spinach between your hands as you lift it out, so that any excess liquid drains back into the original bowl before you add it to the feta for the filling (otherwise, the momos will be soggy and hard to wrap). Mix the spinach and feta together well. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for a couple of minutes, then divide it into four equal pieces and return to the bowl. Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface – but don’t overdo it, as too much flour can stiffen the dough, making the momos harder to wrap later. Take the first piece of dough, keeping the rest covered in the bowl to stop them from drying out. Roll out the dough into a sausage shape about 25 cm (10 inches) long, then cut into ten equal slices, lightly flattening each one with your hand.
continued > Dumplings, Pasties and Bread | Taste Tibet
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> Cheesy Momos continued Using a rolling pin, and making one wrapper at a time, push and pull the flattened piece of dough up and down quickly and firmly, holding it with your spare hand and turning it little by little as you go. The middle should end up a bit thicker than the outer edges, and it should fill the palm of your hand; it doesn’t need to be a perfect circle. When you’re ready to fill, wrap and fold your momos, follow the instructions on pages 146–8, shaping them however you like. For best results, steam these momos (see page 148) over a high heat for about 13–16 minutes, cooking them in batches according to the size of your steamer.
Yeshi says ‘If you have any filling left over, it goes really well in a salad – just add some sliced red onion or avocado, for example, and off you go.’ 158
Taste Tibet | Dumplings, Pasties and Bread
Balep
(Tibetan Flatbread)
Makes 6
Balep is very easy and quick to make. It has all the best qualities of yeasted breads – crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside – without using yeast, or even an oven. With just flour, water and a stovetop, you can have fresh, aromatic bread in the space of half an hour. This version includes eggs and milk to make it extra-fluffy, but flour and water alone make for a delicious Vegan balep (see page 174). Enjoy this versatile bread for breakfast with butter or dipped in warm honey, as the Tibetans do, or with soups, stews or stir-fries. I’ve also found that it tastes great with hummus or peanut butter, does a good job of mopping up salad dressings, and works really well with curries too. 500 g (31/3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 2 eggs 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) whole milk
VEGETAR IAN
Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Break the eggs into the bowl, and mix through the flour using one hand, while you slowly add the milk, followed by 50 ml (21/2 tablespoons) of warm water. As the dough comes together, knead it well for a few minutes until it forms a nice ball in the bowl, then cover and set aside for 10 minutes. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for 2–3 minutes – just a bit more muscle! – before dividing it into six equal-sized pieces and rolling each one between your palms into a ball. Sprinkle some flour onto your work surface and lightly flatten one of the dough balls with your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll it up and down, turning it over frequently and sprinkling your work surface with a little more flour if needed. Mould the flatbread by shuffling it between your hands – you’re aiming for a circle about 12 cm (4½ inches) in diameter and with a thickness of about 1 cm (1/2 inch), perhaps a little thicker in the middle. Put a frying pan over a medium heat – there’s no need for any oil. When the pan is hot, carefully lay in your first flatbread. Let it cook for about 1 minute, or until it bubbles a little and starts to rise, then turn it over and leave to cook for another minute. (If you have a lid for your pan, you can put it on at this point to help the bread to steam and cook through.) Turn down the heat to low and continue to cook the bread for a further 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally. When it’s ready, the bread should be flecked with brown spots and will feel springy when you press it with your finger; if your finger leaves an impression, it needs a bit longer. Repeat with the remaining five pieces of dough.
Dumplings, Pasties and Bread | Taste Tibet
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Taste Tibet Famous Chicken Curry
Serves 4–6
If you take momos out of the equation, then Taste Tibet’s famous chicken curry is definitely our biggest seller. Its name did not come about without the wild appreciation for all the joy it provides to starving festivalgoers across the land and to the fine, curry-loving people of Oxford. So here we are – the great reveal. We’ve kept nothing back, and we hope you’ll enjoy making it as much as we enjoy serving it. For the full Taste Tibet experience, pair it with basmati rice or Balep (Tibetan flatbread, see page 173) and Yeshi’s dal (see page 206). 2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2.5 cm (1 inch) piece of ginger, washed but not peeled, thinly sliced 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced 1/ 4 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon Bassar curry masala (or hot chilli powder) 11/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder 6–8 fresh curry leaves, or 10–12 dried 1 x 400 ml (14 fl oz) tin of coconut milk 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 teaspoon salt Chopped coriander (cilantro), to garnish – optional
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Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add the garlic and ginger and let it brown for a couple of minutes, then add the onion and stir for a further 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, turmeric, curry masala and curry powder. Mix together and cook for 10–15 minutes, turning the heat down a little and adding about 50 ml (21/2 tablespoons) of water if anything starts to catch, then add the coconut milk powder, curry leaves and coconut milk and mix thoroughly. Take your time here: you are making a curry paste, and it needs to be cooked through completely before you can add the chicken. Now add the chicken and salt. Turn the heat back up to high, stir the chicken through the sauce and cook for 8–10 minutes, adding a little boiling water – but only a little – if anything sticks. The pan should be quite dry to begin with, before the juices from the chicken start to be released, so wait a while before adding any water. After the chicken has been in for 8 minutes, check to make sure it is fully cooked. To do this, take a piece out and cut it through the middle – it should be white all the way through. If the sauce looks too thick, add a little more boiling water and stir briskly for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander, if you like, then serve.
Taste Tibet | Street Food Favourites