Cucumbers With Onion And Cheeses (Salad)

Cucumbers With Onion And Cheeses

The Bhutanese serve soothing side dishes like this one to temper pepper laden entrees

Ingredients

• 1/2 seedless cucumber [about 6 ounces, 170g], cut into 1 inch [2.5cm]
• 1 medium red onion [about 4 ounces, 110g] peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup crumbled farmer cheese [about 3 ounces, 85g] _
• 1 medium fresh green chili pepper [about 1/2 ounce, 15g], seeded and diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Coriander leaves (As much as you like but be gentle and don't add more)

Directions

Chop the cucumber coarsely with the metal blade of a food processor, 4 to 5 pulses. Add the onion and chop finely, about 5 pulses. Combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Hapai Hantue

Hapai Hantue (Buckwheat Dumplings With Bok Choy & Poppy Seed Filling)

Filling

• 1 large head bok choy [about 1 pound, 450g], stem removed and quartered
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese Szechuan peppercorns
• 2 medium garlic cloves [1/5 ounce total, 6g], peeled
• Fresh ginger, peeled and cut into a 3/4-inch [2cm] cube
• 1 small red onion [about 2 ounces, 55g], peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup crumbled farmer cheese [about 3 ounces, 85g]
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter [4 ounces, 110g]

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour [10 ounces, 280g]
• 1 cup buckwheat flour [5 ounces, 140g]
• 1 cup water [240ml]
• All-purpose flour, for dusting

Directions

1. To make the filling, cook the bok choy in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry.
2. Pulverize the poppy seeds and peppercorns with a spice or coffee grinder.
3. Drop the garlic and ginger through the feed tube of a food processor with the metal blade in place and the motor running and chop finely, about 5 seconds. Add the Onion and chop finely, about 10 seconds. Add the bok choy, poppy seed mixture,Cheese, chili powder, and salt and process until combined, about 10 seconds.
4. Brown the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, about 4 minutes. Cool and strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Add to the filling and process until combined, about 15 seconds.
5. To make the dough, combine the flours in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. With the motor running pour the water through the feed tube and process until the dough forms a ball. Dust the ball with flour.
6. Cut the dough into 8 pieces, dust with flour, and wrap 7 pieces in plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Roll out the remaining piece with a Pasta machine according to the manufacturer's instructions, down to the second lowest setting, dusting with flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Place the dough sheet between sheets of plastic wrap. Roll out the remaining dough in the same manner.
7. Cut the sheets, 1 at a time, into 4 by 2 inch [10 by 5cm] rectangles. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each rectangle. Brush the edges lightly with water and fold the rectangles over to make squares, pressing the edges to seal them well.
8. Cook the dumplings in batches in a saucepan of simmering water until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain

Tsheringma tea

Tsheringma is a herbal tea made in Bhutan. The name is derived from the Bhutanese Goddess of longevity, wealth and prosperity.

It is taken as a Bhutanese traditional medicine, providing a soothing and refreshing sensation and is believed to improve the conditions of the heart, liver and the digestive system as well as calming the nerves.
The tea consists of only two ingredients. The first is the petals of the Safflower plant (Carthamus tinctorius) known as Gurgum which treats the heart and nerves and the second ingredient is the bark of the root from the plant, Cinnamomum tamala (known locally as Shing-Tsha), which gives the beverage an element of flavor and aids in digestion
There are no known side effects of the tea.Tsheringma herbal teas are not Bhutanese traditional medicines. However, the ingredients used in them are all also used in Bhutanese traditional medicine system and other medical traditions of the world to make various medicines. Extensive research studies on their medicinal benefits already exist.

Two flavor of the tea is available i.e. 1)

Himalayan Gooseberry Herbal Tea

 2) 

Safflower & Cinnamon Herbal Tea

You can buy or order this tea from http://www.casistar.ch/ .

Content from Wikipedia