Butter tea holds a special place in the cultures of the Himalayan region, particularly among Tibetans and Sherpas. The brew consisting of heavily salted tea mixed with yak butter and often spices provides warmth and nourishment to survive the harsh mountain climate.
At Everest Cuisine, our Executive Chef Sagar – who hails from Nepal – shares his family recipe for authentic Yak butter tea, prepared using the traditional method perfected over generations. Chef Sagar blends the finest black tea leaves sourced from Assam with spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon for a uniquely aromatic brew. He then adds yak butter for a decadent richness that epitomizes this classic Himalayan beverage.
Butter tea was born out of necessity in the high mountains where the unpredictable climate demands maximum caloric value from minimum resources. In Tibet and the Himalayas, tea leaves and yak butter are plentiful but vegetables and meat are scarce. By blending tea with butter and salt, butter tea became a means to sustain labor-intensive mountain livelihoods.
The tradition of butter tea spread throughout the Himalayan region, evolving into distinct regional variations. In general, the northern and western Himalayas make butter tea with stronger black teas and more spices while the eastern variants use green teas and favor a more subtle profile. Fermented and brick teas also feature in some butter tea recipes for added depth.
At Everest Cuisine, we replicate the eastern Himalayan style of butter tea, showcasing chef Sagar’s personal recipe with subtle complexity and restrained spice. Yak butter sourced from a local Nepali supplier provides the thick, creamy base of our butter tea while Assam black tea leaves from India’s famed tea gardens lend a brisk, malty cup.
To make our authentic butter tea, Chef Sagar begins by boiling water and adding loose-leaf tea. He brews the tea for 5-8 minutes until nicely aromatic, then turns off the heat. Meanwhile, he melts a generous knob of yak butter in a small pan over low heat. Chef Sagar then adds salt, minced ginger, and crushed green cardamom pods to the melted butter and blends well.
Once the tea has been brewed, Chef Sagar slowly pours the melted butter-spice mixture into the hot tea, stirring constantly to emulsify. The final brew is nutty, slightly tangy, and surprisingly drinkable – a true taste of the Himalayas that transports guests to mountain pastures and yak herder huts high up in the clouds.
Though traditionally consumed as a meal replacement to withstand harsh conditions, Himalayan butter tea has come to represent much more than sustenance. It embodies the resilience and hardiness of mountain communities that evolved this deceptively simple beverage into an art form – turning mere refreshment into cultural sustenance.
At Everest Cuisine, we aim to share this precious tradition as authentically yet sensitively as possible. Our version of Himalayan butter tea, lovingly prepared using chef Sagar’s family recipe, strikes a balance between function and form – honoring both the cultural heritage and the culinary artistry behind this quintessential mountain beverage. We hope our guests leave not just nourished and warmed, but also filled with new appreciation for the ingenious ways cultures evolve to survive, and even thrive, in the most unforgiving places on earth.