Enjoying a history of a thousand years, Tibetan buttered tea has been one of staple foods for people living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which is helpful for digestion and energizing. To Tibetans, tea is a drink just like coffee to the Westerners -- a drink to wake up and start the day.

With the flourishing of Chinese tea-for-horse trade, tea was introduced to Tibet during the ancient Tubo Kingdom. Later, it was added by Tibetan butter and became a favorite drink in Tibet.

Making method of Tibetan buttered tea

Boiling the brick tea is the first step. After that, the butter is put into tea. In addition, with a certain of water and salt, all those ingredients are mixed into the buttered tea.

How to make that butter? The butter, refined from the milk of yak or goat , is also the daily food of Tibetans. It boasts of rich nutrition. Firstly, the heat milk is poured into a big wooden bucket which is called “Xue Dong”. Secondly, whipping the milk up and down for many times is used for segregating butter from water. Then, a tier of light yellow is afloat, which will be ladled and put into a leather bag for cooling.

Tibetan buttered tea set

In Tibet, buttered tea set is always made of porcelain, silvery, jade, wood and other materials. Generally, Tibetans use wooden tea set which is usually made of birch wood. Besides, wooden tea bowls is helpful for both the prevention of burning mouths and enhancement of the tea's flavor.

Tibetan buttered tea plays an important role in Tibetans'daily life. It is a way for Tibetans to show their hospitality and their best wishes.