A Taste Of Tibet Down South
Tibetan families, settled near the Coorg-Mysore border of Kushal Nagar in south Karnataka, are descendants of refugees who moved south in the late 1960s. The Buddhist monks and nuns here have retained their traditional cuisine, though the younger generation and other Tibetans eagerly try out Kodava and Malayali cuisines.
Kelsong, a handicraft-shop owner near the Namdroling monastery says: “As Tibetan cuisine is a mix of Indian and Chinese cuisines, it was not difficult for us to adjust to food here. We enjoy the Kerala chicken fry and Mutton Biriyanis as much as we love our own Thukpas and Tingmus.” Dishes made with mushrooms and tender bamboo shoots are loved by the Kodavas and the Tibetians.
Their food also consists of soupy noodles, butter tea (a specialty which is made by melting yak butter in tea!), momos and much more. There are a lot of Tibetan families who will willingly let you share their knowledge of Tibetan cuisine, customs and lifestyle. Some of them choose to become nuns and monks, some have learnt to cultivate in the land given to them by the Indian government, and some others, have started shops selling Tibetan handicrafts, clothes, accessories and knick-knacks.
