Strong black tea churned with yak or cow butter, salt and milk into a savory warming drink — the ancient Tibetan beverage that sustains life at altitude.
Ingredients
2 tbsp strong black tea leaves (or 4 black tea bags)
3 cups water
2 tbsp butter (traditionally yak butter; salted or unsalted cow butter is an acceptable substitute)
1/2 cup whole milk or cream
1/4 tsp salt
A pinch of baking soda (optional — used traditionally to make the tea darker)
Method
Brew very strong black tea: bring 3 cups water to a boil.
Add tea leaves or bags. Boil for 5 minutes — the tea should be very dark and strong, much stronger than regular tea.
Strain the tea into a tall container (traditionally a cylindrical bamboo churn called a dongmo).
Add butter, milk or cream, and salt. Add a pinch of baking soda if using.
Churn vigorously: traditionally the dongmo is pumped up and down many times to emulsify the butter into the tea.
At home: pour everything into a blender and blend for 1 minute until completely emulsified and slightly frothy.
Or use an immersion blender. Or whisk very vigorously for several minutes.
The butter tea should be a uniform light brown colour with no visible fat pools — the emulsification is complete when it looks uniform.
Pour into cups. Drink hot and sip slowly.
In Tibetan-Bhutia tradition butter tea is refilled before the cup is empty and guests are expected to drink multiple cups.