Pleasure Palate "Himalayan Feast" at Tibet Nepal House March 25, 2007

Time to tempt your palate with all the pleasurable flavors that Southern California has to offer. Join us as we do some culinary exploring of restaurants (both high-end and holes in the walls), various food and beverage tastings, cooking classes, potlucks and so much more. From savory to sweet, from salty to sour, from spicy to tangy, from exotic to All-American, we'll taste it all, so come along and take your taste buds on the ride of their life.

This event is part of my themed dining events called "The Feast." Every other month, I will be organizing a pre-set family-style menu at various restaurants focusing on a specific type of cuisine. It's a way to sample foods you may not be familiar with normally and all in the company of other food lovers. March's "Feast" is all about experiencing tasty Himalayan dishes at Tibet Nepal House in Pasadena.

While the Himalayan Mountains stretches across six nations, which include Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this particular meal will focus on the cuisine of Nepal and Tibet - neighboring countries separated only by a mountain system that is home to the world's highest peaks: the Eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest.

What is Nepali Cuisine?

Nepali food is practical rather than gourmet fare--which is not to say it isn't tasty. The national dish is daal bhaat, boiled rice (bhaat) with a thin lentil sauce (daal), accompanied by curried vegetables (tarkaari) and possibly a dab of pungent pickle (achaar). In rice-growing areas daal bhaat is eaten twice a day, the first meal at around 10:30 a.m. and the second shortly after sunset. Sweet, milky tea and snacks like beaten or popped rice, flat bread, or curried potatoes tide the hungry over until mealtime. Ethnic groups have their own specialties, but basically it's all subsistence food. Nepalis know the value of food as fuel: trek for just a few days and you'll learn it too.

What is Tibetan Cuisine?

The Cuisine of Tibet is quite distinct from that of its neighbours, since only a few crops (not including rice) grow at such high altitude. The most important crop is barley. Dough made from barley flour, called tsampa, is the staple food of Tibet. This is either rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called momos. Meat dishes are likely to be yak, goat, or mutton, often dried, or cooked into a spicy stew with potatoes. Mustard seed is cultivated in Tibet, and therefore features heavily in its cuisine. Yak yoghurt, butter and cheese are frequently eaten, and well-prepared yoghurt is considered something of a prestige item.

"Himalayan Feast"

For just $35, you will be able to experience some of the tasty dishes above and so much more. The complete menu is as follows:

House Special Sampling Platter - Combination of Aloo Achaar (boiled potato garnished with spring onions, cilintro, chili, turmeric and roasted sesame-seed paste), Himalayan Chicken, Vegetable Mo-Mos (dumplings) and Cheese Pakora (deep-fried cheese, battered with chickpea flour & seasoned with spices)

Phaleys - meat or vegetables marinated with herbs & spices, mixed with flour dough, made into patties and fried (ground chicken, ground lamb and vegetable will be available)

Arun Valley Saag - fresh baby bok choy cooked with Chef's special blended sauce of ginger, garlic, onion, celery, etc.

Hariyo Simi - green beans sauteed with garlic and Nepali spices

Goodruk - prepared mustard greens, cabbage and tomato cooked with Nepali spices

Tofu Saag - sauteed tofu cooked with pureed spinach and seasoned with Himalayan spices

Chyamtango Pujaari - chicken cooked with dry chili, cumin, garlic and Nepali spices

Gaunle Khasi - fresh goat meat cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger and Himalayan spices

Yak Mo-Mo - ground yak meat seasoned and stuffed dumplings

Yakshaa Thenthtuk - yak meat cooked with radish, potato, house made pasta, onion and Himalayan spices

Kukhura Sekuwa - chicken breast marinated with sour cream and Himalayan spices

Sherpa Stew - Simmered goat with rice, vegetables and Himalayan spices

Chyamtange Dhopzi - stone ground whole wheat flour flat leavened bread baked in clay oven

Tibetan Bread - deep-fried whole-what flour bread

Rice

Kheer - house-made rice pudding topped with almonds, walnuts and raisins

Hot Beverages - Himalayan mashala teapot (Himalayan herb and tea simmered and cooked with milk) and Sho Jhaa (simmered tea leaves blended with salt & butter)

Cold Beverages - your choice of soft drinks, iced tea and lemonade

Tibetan Tea, beer and wine must be purchased separately

What's even better is that Owner/Chef Karma Tenzing Bhotia will come out before the meal starts to give you a short talk about both Nepali and Tibetan cuisine as a way for you to better understand what "Himalayan Food" is all about.

As you can see, this will truly be a feast to remember and hopefully, you'll be able to join us.

COST:
This dinner needs to Pre-Paid by March 22 to reserve your spot and your payment will cover the entire meal plus one beverage and includes tax and tip.

* If you are paying via Pay Pal, please send $37.00 ($35 + $2 Pay Pal Fee) to my Pay Pal account at [email protected].

* If you are paying via check, the cost will go down to $35 and you'll have to email me for an address to send the check to.

IMPORTANT: You cannot just show up for this dinner. I need to collect all the money and give that to Tibet Nepal House by March 23 in one lump sum. I also need to turn in a final headcount that same day so that they will know how much food to prepare. This dinner is first come, first served. The first 24 who pay the fee will get to go.

All fees are non-refundable after March 22.

Official Website: http://www.pleasurepalate.com