Monk's Buns

Monk's Buns

　　Monk's Buns come in a wide variety of unique fillings. Meat buns are filled with yak meat, while "vegetarian" buns feature ingredients such as ginseng fruit, buttered tsampa, mixed mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, radish, and mixed varieties: pork with mushrooms, pork with wood ear fungus, pork with Chinese cabbage, and pork with leeks. Additionally, the shapes of the buns are incredibly diverse and strikingly beautiful. The cherry-mouth bun is a more common style—this shape is not only easy to make but also looks elegant and appealing. Especially, the round little “mouth” in the center of the bun can stimulate diners to open up their appetites and enjoy the meal.

　　On low Tibetan tables, you’ll always find hand-pulled meat, fried dough twists, various pastries, and milk drinks—but when it comes to the star dish, it’s the “Monk” buns. These buns are about the same size as xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), characterized by having soup inside and using unleavened dough for the wrapper. Because monks in temples loved making these buns, people started calling them “Monk” buns.

　　When eating the buns, it’s important to note that after biting a small opening, be careful not to let the delicious and rich “bun soup” spill out. The correct way is to pick up a bun, carefully bite a small hole in it, then purse your lips and sip the “soup” inside before eating the rest of the bun.