12. Tibet (an autonomous region of China)
A mainly-Buddhist territory nicknamed the “Roof of the World” for its towering peaks on the northern side of the Himalayas. It shares Mt. Everest with Nepal.
“Its capital, Lhasa, is site of hilltop Potala Palace, once the Dalai Lama’s winter home, and Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s spiritual heart, revered for its golden statue of the young Buddha.” ― Google

The dishes we made:
Tibetan Stovetop Bread (Balep Korkun), Vegetable Momo (Vegetable Dumpling), Thenthuk Soup (Tibetan Style Noodle Soup) and Phale (pronounced Pah-lay)(Skillet bread with meat filling).

Tibetan Stovetop Bread (Balep Korkun)       Good!   (would be better if batter was a little thinner)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 T olive oil
1-2 T water

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add 1 cup of water and stir until a wet dough forms.
It should stick to itself when stirred, but still be slightly runny.
Add the olive oil to a medium-sized skillet (I prefer cast iron, but any nonstick pan will work).
The skillet should remain cold until the dough is added.
Rotate the pan a bit to swirl the oil around. You want it to cover most of the bottom of the pan.
Pour the dough into the center of the pan and spread it out slightly with a rubber spatula.
Sprinkle water around the edge of the dough.
You want a little ring of water around the whole thing (about 1T for an 8-inch pan, and 2T for a 12-inch).
This will steam the bread, giving it that fluffy center.
Cover the pan with a lid.
Place over medium heat.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Resist the temptation to check the bread during this time.
You don't want to let any steam out.
Carefully flip the bread with a spatula.
Reduce heat to low-medium. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve.

Momo = Dumpling (Vegetable Momo)     
DOUGH
2 cups all purpose flour, more as needed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
3/4 cup water
FILLING
2 cups (180g) shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup (70g) shredded carrot
1/2 cup (45g) thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
2 tsp salt, more to taste
1 tbsp minced ginger
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
4 oz extra firm tofu, crumbled
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp oil

Make the dumpling dough:
In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Add the water and oil and mix the dough until it comes together. Turn out onto a floured counter and knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary, until you have a smooth and barely tacky dough. Put the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Make Filling:
Add the shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, and sliced scallions in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and toss to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, then squeeze out extra water from the cabbage. You can do it easily in a thin tea towel, nut milk bag, muslin or layered cheese cloth.
Dump out the water and add the vegetables back into the mixing bowl. Toss with the ginger, garlic, cilantro tofu, black pepper, and oil. Taste and add salt if needed.
Shape Dough:
When the dough has rested for a half an hour, divide it in half.
Leave one half under the damp towel and roll the second half out on a lightly floured counter until it is very thin, basically as thin as you can roll it. Lift the dough and rotate, flip and dust with more flour as you roll to keep it from sticking.
Cut the dough into 3 1/2 - 4 inch circles. Remove the scraps of dough and place it back under the damp towel.
Make Momos:
Taking one piece of dough at a time, place it in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough, then fold and pinch the dough together to form a round momo. If you would like you can pinch the dough together at the end to seal the center or leave it open as pictured.
Place finished momos on a lightly oiled plate and repeat with the remaining dough, rolling out the other half when needed, and re-rolling the scraps until all dough and/or filling is used up.
Prepare a steamer pot, filling it with water and bringing it to a boil over medium-high heat. Place momos on a lightly greased steamer basket, leaving space between each dumpling. Steam for 5 minutes, or until the dough is not sticky to the touch and remove using tongs. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
Serve the dumplings warm with chutney. Leftover dumplings can be reheated by steaming them again.

Thenthuk Soup - Tibetan Style Noodle Soup    VERY Good!
For the Noodles
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour, (Rice Flour can also be used)
4 tablespoon Instant Oats (Oatmeal)
Salt, to taste
Sunflower Oil, for cooking
Water, to knead
For the broth
1 Onion, sliced
1 inch Ginger, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Tomato, chopped
1 Green zucchini, chopped
1 tablespoon Red Chili sauce*
1 tablespoon Green Chili Sauce**
1 tablespoon Soy sauce

To make the noodles 
To begin making Combine all the ingredients for the noodles and knead it into a soft dough. Rest it for about 20 minutes.
Roll it flat and then cut into thin strips. Keep them aside covered with a cloth so that they do not go dry till you make your broth. 
To make the broth 
Heat a sauce with oil, add onions, ginger and garlic sauté them till the onions are translucent. 
Then add in the chopped zucchini and sauté well till it changes slight brown and gets caramelized.
At this point add in sufficient water required to have a soup consistency (about 2 cups of water)
Bring it to boil, and then add in your sauces along with chopped tomatoes and check for seasonings.
To make the soup 
Once the soup starts to boil, add the noodles strip into the boiling soup and stir 
Then add the spinach leaves (Optional).
The noodles will absorb water and thicken. 
Garnish with Spring Onions and Cilantro leaves. 

NOTE:
If you can’t find a Red Chili Sauce or Green Chili Sauce at the grocery, you can make them yourself.
*Red Chili Sauce: (Sichuan Style Chili Sauce)
15 Thai Red chilies
1 teaspoon Ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Sugar
5 tablespoon Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt
Sesame Oil, for cooking

Sauté ginger, garlic and red chilies cut into half.
Sauté till the red chili soaks in all the oil. Once done add the vinegar, sugar, and salt.
Lower the heat and let it cook for 5 minutes. Cool the mixture and grind it in a blender to a coarse paste.

**Green Chili Sauce: (Nam Prik Noom)
6 clv garlic
6 chili pepper (Thai green chili peppers)
6 shallot (peeled)
4 tomato (optional, ripe vine tomatoes)
2 lime (juice only)
2 T Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 pn sugar (palm sugar)
6 T cooking oil (optional, sunflower or sesame oil work well)
2 T coriander (fresh coriander, finely chopped)

Sauté the garlic, chilies, shallots, and tomato until soft. Allow them to cool.
Transfer to blender. Mix in sugar, lime juice and fish sauce; and the oil, if using.

Phale – Skillet bread with meat filling    VERY, VERY Good!
(pronounced Pah-lay) and is Tibetan for bread.
DOUGH
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
About 1 tablespoon melted ghee or butter
1 cup lukewarm water, or a little more
About ¼ cup ghee or vegetable oil for frying
FILLING
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon minced ginger or ginger mashed to a paste
1 cup (about ½ pound) coarsely chopped (¼-inch pieces) boneless chicken thighs, beef, or pork
1 dried red chile or ¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Generous grinding of black pepper

Place the flour and salt in a bowl of standing mixer.
Add the melted butter and blend into the flour, then add 1 cup lukewarm water. A ball of dough should form; if it doesn’t, add up to another ¼ cup water.
When a ball of dough forms, process for another 15 or 20 seconds, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about a minute, until smooth.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling:
Heat the oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is well softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the meat, the chile or cayenne, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir-fry, breaking up any lumps in the meat, until it is browned and cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Remove and discard the chile if you used one.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into sixteen pieces.
Flatten each piece a little, turning it over to flour it on both sides. Leaving the other pieces lightly covered, roll two pieces out to 7-inch rounds.
Spread a generous 2 tablespoons filling on one bread, leaving a 1-inch margin all round.
Place the other bread on top and pinch and roll the edges closed all around between your thumb and forefinger, to make a sealed fluted edge.
Flatten gently under the palm of your hand.
Place a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Place the bread top side down in the skillet and cook for 1-2 minute.
Turn over and cook on the second side until golden brown, then turn back to the first side to cook until well browned (if you get dark patches before the bread has cooked through, lower the heat slightly).
Remove the first bread from the skillet and serve hot or wrap in a cotton cloth to keep warm.
Note:
Dough sticks together so do NOT stack them or let them touch, uncooked, for too long.