Recipes Of Resilience

AS TIBETAN LOSAR APPROACHES, FESTIVE FOODS BECOME A POIGNANT PORTRAYAL OF MEMORY AND SURVIVAL

- Words → TENZIN CHODON

I BELONG TO A GENERATION OF TIBETANS whose roots are built through memories of rituals. Having never set foot in a homeland my grandparents escaped, I learnt of the stories that they carried across borders. I am the surviving link of a family that was a prime witness to our displacement. Losar, the Tibetan New Year, is one of our most-awaited festivities that stands as a testament to the homeland.

Losar has a distinct way of announcing itself in my home in Dehradun. Long before the first greetings of Losar, "Tashi Delek," are exchanged or the chuba, a traditional Tibetan dress, is donned, the kitchen breathes life into the house. Around 4 am, while the rest of the house is fast asleep, my Apa (father) is already awake, moving through the kitchen with a sense of certainty. He pauses, listens, and stirs as though each dish carries its own weight of expectation. Nothing is left to chance. He checks the pots, adjusts the flames, tastes and retastes, guided not by written recipes but purely by memory, habit, and instinct.

DAYS BEFORE LOSAR

Losar is not a single-day celebration. Preparations begin well before the new year arrives and last for over 15 days. Apa would start planning months in advance. Houses are painted anew; cupboards are scrubbed clean. Visits are made to tailors for new chubas. Preparing food is the ultimate heartbeat of this buildup.

Khapsey and bhungu amchok, both deep-fried pastries, are made in massive batches. Both are served as festive snacks and as derga, the elaborate, tiered offerings placed on the altar for the gods.