Tibetan cuisine includes the culinary traditions and practices of the Tibetan people in the Tibet region. The cuisine reflects the Tibetan landscape of mountains and plateaus and includes influences from neighbors. It is known for its use of noodles, goat, yak, mutton, dumplings, cheese, butter, yogurt, and soups. Vegetarianism has been debated by religious practitioners since the 11th century but is not prevalent due to the difficulty of growing vegetables, and cultural traditions promoting consumption of meat.
A simple Tibetan breakfast
A Tibetan woman making momos at a gathering in the U.S.
Shipment of barley grain, a food staple. It is roasted and ground into powder to make a flour
Tibetan bowls and spoons, Field Museum
The Tibetan people are an East Asian ethnic group native to Tibet. Their current population is estimated to be around 6.7 million. In addition to the majority living in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, significant numbers of Tibetans live in the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, as well as in India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Tibetans at a festival in Zhongdian, 1995
Children in Lhasa, Tibet
Children in Lhasa, Tibet
Tibetan peddler living in Nepal
