Special Cookware for a Tibetan Dinner

In my research of Tibetan food, I happened upon an illustration of a rustic Tibetan Stove. The drawing is rather small, so it's hard to tell exactly how it is designed. However, it appears as though it's smaller than a bread box, with a single burner on top, and either a drawer or a recessed scuttle at the bottom in which to burn the fuel. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to prepare a meal using one. But my guess is that the simple design is intended to accommodate 'one-pot' cooking of dishes such as stews, soups, curries and dumplings, which appear to be the mainstays of the Tibetan diet. In looking over the recipes I've chosen, I'm sure my gas range and everyday cookware will serve my purposes just fine.

01:53 AM PST Permalink |

Beverages to Go With My 'Seven Years in Tibet' Dinner

The most common Tibetan beverage is a warming brew called Po Cha (Butter Tea). This tea is an interesting presentation of the garden variety black tea that is consumed millions of times a day all over the world. It can even be made with the Lipton tea bags you probably already have on your pantry shelf.

In Tibet however, the process is somewhat more complicated, as the tea comes in compact bricks. To prepare the tea, a chunk of the brick is crumbled into a kettle of water and boiled for several hours until it forms a strong, bitter concentrate called Chaku. When it comes time to make Po Cha, a little of the Chaku is diluted in a pot of boiling water. Butter, milk and a little salt are added to season the tea, and then the mixture is churned to emulsify the ingredients, which keeps them from separating. In a modern kitchen, a blender works just as well.

Since it's so simple to make, I'm going to try a pot of it to go with dessert, but being a special dinner, I will also be serving a bottle of Napa Valley Pinot Noir, my favorite red wine.

03:11 AM PST Permalink |

Designing a Tibetan Table Setting

The humble dishes I have chosen for my 'Seven Years in Tibet' dinner hardly demand an elaborate table setting. So, in keeping with the style of the meal, I will also create a simple table using earthy colors, rustic tableware, seasonal winter greens and soft lighting.

01:38 PM PST Permalink |

About the Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth and present Dalai Lama, was born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6th, 1935 in the village of Takster in Amdo near the monastery of Kumbum in northeastern Tibet to a peasant family. At the age of three, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Much mysticism surrounded the discovery of the new Dalai Lama. While the body of Thupten Gyatso still lay in state at the Potala, it is said that his face turned toward the northeast. Soon thereafter, a vision of the house where the next Dalai Lama would be found appeared to Reting Rinpoche, a Tibetan regent, as he gazed into Lake Lhamo Latso in southern Tibet. He saw the letters Ah, Ka, Ma, along with the image of a monastery with a jade green roof, and a humble house with a turquoise roof and unusual gutters.

For the letter Ah, a search party was sent to Amdo in the northeastern province of Tibet, and then to the Karma Rolpai Dorje monastery in Kumbum, with its turquoise roof, for the letters Ka and Ma. There they found the house with the unusual gutters. A search of the surrounding villages revealed a house with an ancient juniper bush on the roof, where they sought lodging for the night. There they found an infant boy named Lhamo among the members of the household. The leader of the search party, pretending to be an ordinary servant, played with the child, who took to him instantly and called him Sera Lama, for the name of the monastery where the lama had once been a disciple. A few days later, the party returned with a collection of personal artifacts that had belonged to Thupten Gyatso, the former Dalai Lama, including rosaries, drums and walking sticks. When presented to the child along with other items that had not belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, the boy Lhamo claimed all the correct items as his own. Convinced that the child was the true reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, he was taken to Lhasa, but only after paying a substantial ransom to the Chinese provincial governor for his release.

Tenzin Gyatso was enthroned on February 22, 1940 in the Potala Palace at Lhasa at age four. His eighteen-year spiritual training began at the age of six, and was completed when he received his Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy at age 25. In October 1950 however, in the midst of his training, The People's Liberation Army of China invaded Tibet, and Tenzin Gyatso assumed full power as the Fourteenth Dalai Lama on November 17, at the age of fifteen. Political unrest continued to escalate, and by 1959, the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet for India with nearly 80,000 followers. On March 17, 1959, the Dalai Lama escaped from the summer palace at Norbulinka with his family. For nearly five decades, from his headquarters at Dharamsala, India Tenzin Gyatso has worked relentlessly to restore the sovereignty of Tibet through peaceful, non-violent means, and to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Tibetan people. On December 10, 1989, Tenzin Gyatso was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

12:07 AM PST Permalink |

About Heinrich Harrer

Heinrich Harrer was born in Austria on July 6, 1912. Contrary to popular belief, Harrer did not compete on the Austrian skiing team in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, an apocryphal factoid perpetrated by the film 'Seven Years in Tibet'. However, he did make the first ascent of the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland with Anderl Heckmair, Fritz Kasparek and Ludwig Vorg in July 1938. Austria was taken by Germany shortly before the onset of World War II, and Harrer, who was on a mountain climbing expedition to scale Nanga Parabat in India, was taken prisoner and held in a British Colonial internment camp near the Tibetan border.

After hoarding enough supplies to sustain themselves on the arduous journey that lay ahead, Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter escaped and set out for Lhasa, the Forbidden City. Having braved the harsh Himilayan terrain through a bitter winter with only meager rations, surviving the threat of attack by hostile nomads, the hardships of altitude sickness, and the likelihood that they would be denied sanctuary in Tibet, Harrer and Aufschnaiter were welcomed into Lhasa. There they were treated as honored guests, attired in the finest garments, served sumptuous banquets, and housed in royal quarters.

Harrer lived in Lhasa for nearly five years, where he taugh English to the children of the court, and developed a close relationship with Tenzin Gyatso, the boy who would become the 14th Dalai Lama. Harrer was even allowed to photograph and film the royal family as they participated in sacred ceremonies never before witnessed by an outsider.

Heinrich Harrer left Tibet in December 1950, just before Lhasa was invaded by the Chinese. Upon his return to Austria, he wrote Seven Years in Tibet, The White Spider, and Lost Lhasa, along with more than a dozen other books based upon his Tibetan adventure. Thereafter, he continued to organize climbing expeditions, one of the most notable being the first ascent of the the highest peak in Oceania, Puncak Jayadikesuma in western New Guinea.

His accolades include the Gold Humboldt Medal and the Explorers Club Medal for his expeditions throughout six continents. Seven Years in Tibet has sold more than four million copies and has been translated into 53 languages. In October 1997, Seven Years in Tibet made its motion picture debut with Brad Pitt in the starring role. And despite his advancing age, Heinrich Herrer has continued to maintain a close friendship with Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.

12:50 AM PST Permalink |

Come Spring...

The thing that most compelled me to take the leap and move into my new home was the spacious garden in the back. It has a 9' x 12' concrete patio, surrounded on two sides by a fenced yard. The moment I laid eyes on it, visions of an abundant vegetable garden, trimmed at the edges with beds of brightly colored flowers danced in my head. After ten years in a second-story dwelling, with nary more than a tiny landing, bereft of all but two hours of sunlight each day outside my back door, upon which to grow a few meager plants in pots and window boxes, I was giddy at the notion of plunging my hands into Mother Earth and nurturing a fecund crop of all my favorite agrarian delights.

So eager was I to get started on my garden that, weeks before a single moving box was packed, I went online and found a website featuring a vast array of Ferry Morse seeds at half the suggested retail price. And I'm not ashamed to say, I went hog wild. I ordered Kentucky Blue Pole Beans, Bok Choi, Cantaloupes, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Japanese Eggplant, Leeks, Romaine Lettuce, Mesculin Gourmet Greens, Snow Peas, Sugar Peas, Jalapeno Peppers, Bell Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Pumpkins, Radishes, Soybeans, Spinach, Yellow Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Watercress, Watermelons, and Zucchini.

For my herb garden, I chose Basil, Catnip, Chives, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley, Peppermint, and Spearmint. And for flowers, Impatiens, Lobelia, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Sweet William and Lilliput Zinnias.

The whole bill, including shipping, cost less than a single trip to my favorite produce market, and the seeds arrived in only two days. In the next few weeks, while the ground is still soft from all the winter rain we've been getting, I will till the soil and wait for the danger of frost to pass in late March before planting. And although I know that the harvest is months away, I can't wait to begin preparing my Dinner & a Movie menus with freshly harvested vegetables from my very own garden.

The garden is also graced with what I think may be a cherry tree, which I hope will burst into a profusion of pink blossoms around the same time as Ohanami in Japan. And a few intrepid poppy-pink blossoms of a Japanese plum tree are already putting on a delicate floral show for me just outside my kitchen window, which sure does make the drudgery of washing dishes a little less dreadful. And each morning, as I begin my day's work at my desk overlooking what will soon be my shade garden, where I will plant the watercress and bok choy, it takes an act of great will not to abandon my task list and spend the day getting gleefully grimy instead. Ah...patience, dear...patience.

12:15 AM PST Permalink |

Playing Hooky for the Day

Having diligently kept my nose to the grindstone, shoulder to the wheel as I relocated to my new home, I decided to play hooky for the day. The winter storms have been non-stop for the past three weeks, so Rene and I were pleasantly surprised when we awoke to a clear and gorgeous day. We headed to the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, where Rene was keen to see a Mayan archaeological exhibit, followed by a Mayan textile exhibit and marimba concert at the Presidio Officers' Club. However, when we arrived at the Palace of the Legion of Honor, we were crestfallen to discover that the Mayan exhibit had closed on January 2.

With several hours to while away before the textile show and marimba concert, we decided to have an early supper at our favorite sushi bar. Isobune in San Francisco's Japantown is a very special type of sushi bar, where chefs assemble large batches at a prep station in the center of a water-filled moat, and place individual plates of the edible treasures on a procession of little flat-bottomed wooden boats. Diners sit at a low counter on the outer side of the moat and help themselves to the plates of sushi as they float by. When they're finished, the waitress tallies up the bill by counting the empty plates and beverage bottles.

Isobune is my favorite restaurant in all the world, and as always, the sushi was fresh, abundant and delicious. We had the luxury of time to linger over a nice long chat and browse in a Japanese dishware shop next door before heading to the Presidio. Much to our delight, the textile exhibition was dazzling and elegantly displayed. It featured over a hundred garments, each one hand woven and intricately embroidered with flora and geometrics in an eye-popping spectrum of tropical colors.

With great expectations, we took our seats in the auditorium to hear the marimba concert. Promptly at 7:00 p.m., eight musicians dressed in embroidered white linen jackets with red neckties appeared on stage and proceeded to play the absolute worst music I have ever heard. The emcee had promised a selection of salsas and cumbias, but instead of a program of traditional Mayan songs, they had chosen to start with a set of contemporary American standards, one of which I could swear was the theme to the old Alfred Hitchcock Show. The band was off beat, out of tune, and at one point I wasn't even sure all the musicians were playing the same song. What's worse, the music was metered by the stacatto beat of a set of snare drums that made it sound like the 'oom-pah' band at a pathetic polka party. In the middle of the third piece, I leaned over to Rene and asked in a hushed voice, "Do we have to stay for the whole thing?" Much to my relief, he replied, "No. We can leave now if you like." So we did. And something tells me that the rest of the audience wasn't far behind.

On the ride home, we had a good laugh at the musical travesty we'd just witnessed, and to end the evening on a positive note, Rene detoured off Highway 101 down to Fort Baker at the tip of Sausalito, where we enjoyed a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge, with the city lights twinkling across the bay. Fortunately, Rene and I rarely tire of each other's company, and always manage to find something to enjoy about even the worst of days. In this case, it was the excellent company, the gorgeous weather, the delectable sushi, the opulent textiles, and the fantastic view at evening's end.

03:50 PM PST Permalink |

Toward Entropy...

After two weeks in our new home, my kitchen is gradually coming together. I've been living amid a sea of boxes, not knowing the whereabouts of such everyday necessities as fish food, hair brushes, and the electrical charger for my cordless screwdriver. Since I didn't bother to bubble wrap, tape and label each of the boxes for the four-block move from our old place, every day is like Christmas, as I open them with delight at their much-missed-and-needed contents. My brother Michael who lives in Texas has been a constant source of encouragement and optimism via e-mail to help keep me motivated until I've unpacked every last chopstick.

I still have a long way to go before my kitchen is in 'apple pie order', as my Mom used to call it. There's a trip to Home Depot in the offing for such amenities as cupboard organizers and extra shelving. But even amid the chaos, I have managed to prepare several memorable meals, including our New Year's Day dinner which featured Crab Cakes, Vichyssoise, Sashimi Salad, Grilled Petit Filet Mignon, Seafood Brochettes, and Chocolate Coconut Pastry. It was a challenge, but I managed to pull it off nonetheless.

I'm definitely looking forward to my first Dinner & a Movie night in this spacious kitchen. The lighting is much better, there's so much more room to maneuver without running into myself at every turn, and considerably more counter space for prepping, plating and photographing. Can't hardly wait!

12:28 AM PST Permalink |

About the Fresh Ingredients for a Tibetan Dinner

The fresh ingredients for my 'Seven Years in Tibet' dinner are neither delicate nor esoteric. They include Chicken, Lamb, Ground Beef, Kale, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Chili Peppers, Potatoes, Red Bell Pepper, Yogurt, Limes, Tomatoes, Scallions, Cilantro, Daikon, Spinach, Cabbage, Green Beans, and Heavy Cream. So shopping should be easy and can even be done a couple of days in advance of the dinner, as long as I store the meats in the freezer until the day of the dinner.

02:32 AM PST Permalink |

A Little Background Info on 'Seven Years in Tibet'

Based on a true story, the 1997 Jean-Jacques Annaud film 'Seven Years in Tibet' stars Brad Pitt as Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who escapes from a World War II POW camp and flees to Tibet. There he enters the forbidden city of Lhasa, where he meets the young Dalai Lama, and eventually becomes his lifelong friend and confidant.

Heinrich Harrer wrote an account of his adventures, also titled Seven Years in Tibet, and later starred as himself in the 1956 version of the film, directed by Hans Nieter.

04:18 PM PST Permalink |

A little background info on history & culture of Tibet

The history and culture of Tibet are closely associated with the lineage of the Dalai Lama. A few months ago, I wrote a lengthy article for ThingsAsian featuring biographies of all fourteen Dalai Lamas, and a second article that focuses solely on the Sixth Dalai Lama, best known for his elegant poetry and amorous escapades.

By clicking on these links, you can read my articles The Fourteen Dalai Lamas of Tibet, and The Don Juan of Dalai Lamas.

11:47 AM PST Permalink |

Tracking Down Exotic Ingredients for My 'Seven Years in Tibet' Dinner

For such exotic cuisine, the ingredients for my 'Seven Years in Tibet' dinner are remarkably commonplace. My list of specialty ingredients include Soy Sauce, Curry Powder, Chili Paste, Sherry or Brandy, Turmeric, Sechuan Pepper, Cashew Nuts and Bleu Cheese, the closest thing we have to fermented yak's milk.

Most of these items are already in my pantry, and any that aren't should be readily available at any good grocery store. The Sechuan Pepper may pose a challenge, however, I also have several other types of pepper that will serve as acceptable substitutes.

12:19 AM PST Permalink |

A List of Ingredients for My 'Seven Years in Tibet' Dinner

Specialty Ingredients:

Soy Sauce, Curry Powder, Chili Paste, Sherry or Brandy, Bleu Cheese, Turmeric, Sechuan Pepper, Cashew Nuts

Fresh Ingredients:

Chicken, Lamb, Ground Beef, Kale, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Jalapenos, Potatoes, Red Bell Pepper, Yogurt, Limes, Tomatoes, Scallions, Cilantro, Daikon, Spinach, Cabbage, Green Beans, Apples, Cream

Basics:

Butter, Flour, Cornstarch

12:15 AM PST Permalink |

Deciding on the Dishes for My 'Seven Years in Tibet' Dinner

Appetizer: Momo (Meat-Filled Steamed Dumplings)
Soup: Churu (Tomato Cheese Soup)
Main Course: Mar Jasha (Butter Chicken), Then Thuk (Lamb Stew) and Tema (Green Beans with Potatoes)
Dessert: Spiced Winter Apple Compote

12:04 AM PST Permalink |

Designing a Tibetan Menu
For my 'Seven Years in Tibet' dinner, I want to try all the most common dishes. No doubt there are dozens, however the Tibetan recipes I was able to find all seem to fall into four basic categories: soups, dumplings, stews, and meats. So, I'm going to try one of each.
12:01 AM PST Permalink |