Yak Butter Tea

Jadong

Po Cha

Tibetan Butter Tea

Yak Butter Tea is a beverage made in Tibet and Nepal from tea and Yak Butter.

Yak Butter Tea is served hot. It has a slightly salty taste and a layer of melted butter on top.

It is drunk any time of day.

To make Yak Butter Tea, some "chaku" (see below) is blended in a churn called a "chandong" with butter made from Yak's milk.

Chaku

Yak Butter Tea starts with "chaku." Tea leaves are boiled in water for several hours, then the tea leaves are strained out and discarded to leave behind a very strong tea which is set aside for when wanted. In Tibet, this plain, strong tea is called "chaku." The tea used is a black tea from an area in Tibet called Pemagul.

To make regular tea to drink you add some of this very strong "Chaku" tea to hot water.

Cooking Tips for Yak Butter Tea

Plain Black tea (1 heaping tablespoon of loose or 2 tea bags)
6 cups of water (48 oz / 1 1/2 litres)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup (4 oz / 125 ml) of either full-fat milk, single cream or half and half cream, OR 1 teaspoon instant milk powder

Bring water to the boil. Add the tea, boil for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags or if using leaves, strain and discard leaves. Put tea plus all the other ingredients in a blender and whiz well. Be careful with blender as the tea will be very hot. Serve hot.

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