A taste of Tibet in Bloomington

Let me take you to Tibet.

With only a week in China this past spring, I decided not to travel to Tibet for the time being.

I have always dreamed of visiting the high-altitude climate and the breathtaking Himalayas.

I have dreamed of studying the course of the Dalai Lama’s footsteps in cultivating the dense history of the Tibetan people.

Unfortunately, the Chinese communist take-over has left very little leisure activities for tourists, and it has become nearly impossible to be given a visa.

The Arab Spring caused panic that the people would revolt, and even journalists and students are being denied entry to Tibetan temples and towns.

They are being drowned out by communist control.

Instead, I decided to get a taste of Tibet right here in Bloomington at
Anyetsang’s Little Tibet.

I stepped into a cozy, comfortable restaurant elaborately furnished with Tibetan decorations and photographs of Tibetan people and landscapes and was welcomed by the warm and wise owner, Thupten Anyestang.

Anyestang was born in Tibet. After the Chinese government came into power in 1959, he crossed the Himalayas at age 9, traveling to India for hopes of freedom.

One of 100,000 refugees following the Dalai Lama, Anyestang and his 11-year-old brother spent a month fighting the freezing cold before being welcomed into a Tibetan school in India.

For the last 14 years, he has managed Little Tibet here in Bloomington. The restaurant is intended to educate people about the history, culture and traditions of his people.

“I love the peacefulness of Bloomington, but my heart is in Tibet,” Anyestang told me over a cup of bodja, a salty tea made with butter and milk before churned. “By opening a restaurant, I have educated people about the current situation and have made my business like a Tibetan family and a home away from home.”

Anyestang, who has served food to the Dalai Lama himself several times, took me through some of the most sensational, authentic Tibetan treats he prefers, reminding me that a special meal in Tibet can have more than 18 courses.

“Tibetan food has a unique taste,” Anyestang told me. “It’s not very rich or oily or strong, but it is healthy and simply tasteful.”

Because of the exceptionally high altitude, Tibetans rely on meat protein to invigorate their strength, most often beef and lamb.
 
“It is better to kill a large animal that can feed many than take the life of a fish or shrimp for just a small gratification, out of respect for life and the animals,” Anyestang explained.

A staple food in Tibet is homemade dumplings, called momo, which are most often filled with ground beef and steamed to perfection.

Momo is prepared by chopping up beef and mixing it with spices and onions. It is rolled into special dough, cut and flattened into a precise dumpling shape and steamed for about 20 minutes.

Anyestang said making momo for someone indicates you have a lot of respect for that person. It is considered a special offering because it takes a long time to prepare correctly.

There are different variations of momo, including chura momo, a popular vegetarian variation filled with cheeses and Tibetan seasonings and often dipped in a spicy sauce.

One of Anyestang’s favorites for winter weather is kham amdo thugpa soup, stewed to relieve colds and other sicknesses in the Himalayas.

He said the hearty dish can relieve anyone of illness if made at the correct temperature and flavored with daikon, flour noodles, radishes, tomatoes, green onions and beef and garnished with cilantro and green onions.

A special Tibetan treat is a dessert called dresil.

At the beginning of the Tibetan new year, Losar, which occurs during the month of February on the solar calendar, Tibetans dress in decorative clothing.

Women cover themselves in embellished jewelry and scarves. They head to the mountain tops to make offerings of incense, hanging prayer flags while making blessings for the new year.

After the mountain ceremony, dresil, sweetened rice, is served in celebration. .

The rice is mixed with different kinds of raisins, dried fruits, sugar and nuts, infused together for a light yet satiating sweetness.

This dish is often served with khabes cookies, rich with sugar and butter and fried until freshly golden.

The opportunity to escape and get a taste of authentic, appetizing spices left me inspired to keep the good karma coming and share some of the brilliance behind the cuisine.