Tibetan Vegetarian Recipes

Despite what the "People's Republic" of China wants you to believe, Tibet is a nation of its own, with a cuisine that's just as unique and vibrant as its people, culture, and history.

Tibet's cuisine is dominated by its landscape, lying high on the Tibetan Plateau in the shadow of the Himalayas. Very few crops grow at such an altitude, and even fewer animal species are available for domestication. This, combined with Tibetan Buddhism's attitudes on the consumption of meat, makes Tibet one of the most vegetarian-friendly food cultures on the planet, albeit a limited one.

Hardy crops such as barley and potato (rice is not able to be widely grown in Tibet) and dairy products from the trusty yak form the basis for Tibetan cuisine. While spices and seasonings remain simple, the influence of Tibet's giant neighbors, India and China, is frequently seen in the masalas and stews of Tibet.

With the continued introduction of a larger and larger population of Han Chinese into Tibet by the Chinese government, traditional Tibetan culture, including foods and cooking methods, are slowly dying out, as Tibetans become a minority in their own land. We should all hope that the traditions and culture of this wonderful land not be lost to the forced homogenization with mainstream Chinese culture.