Tsampa

Last updated 2026-11-13 — Tsampa is a staple food of the Tibetan people. The way tsampa is made is by drying and roasting highland barley (a type of barley that comes in white and purple-black varieties), then grinding it into a fine powder to make the edible tsampa. This is similar to fried flour in northern China, but whereas the flour in the north is ground before frying, Tibetan tsampa is roasted before grinding and the bran is not removed. Tibetans usually eat tsampa by first pouring a small amount of buttered tea into a bowl, adding some tsampa powder, and stirring it continuously with their hands until it can be formed into a ball. When eating, they keep kneading it in the bowl with their hands until it forms a lump called a "pa," which is then brought to the mouth to eat. There is also a way of preparing it as a thin porridge, mixed with meat, wild vegetables, and the like, called "thukpa."  Tsampa is more nutritious than winter wheat and is also convenient to carry. When going out, one only needs to bring a wooden bowl, tie a "tanggu" (tsampa bag) around the waist, and have some tea ready—there’s no need to start a fire for cooking. (Delingha)