Shabakleb or Shabalay (with "lay" version being a mispronunciation of "leb") is the Tibetan interpretation of a delicacy commonly found in most cultures which is prepared by filling folded dough with delicious stuffings. Calzone and Empanada are its Italian and Spanish cousins. What sets the Tibetan version apart from its international siblings is that meat is the main ingredient used to make the stuffing for Shabaklebs. Of course, Shabakleb filling can also be made with vegetables and cheese. However, if meat isn't its main ingredient, the delicacy won't be able to justify its appellation as the word "Sha" in Shabakleb means "meat" and "Bakleb" means "flat bread". After filing the dough wit
Laphing is a popular spicy street dish usually made from cold mung bean or potato starch. The starch is blended with water and then boiled and stirred until reaches the right consistency. Once it does, it is poured into containers to cool and set into jelly sheets. Once cool and set, these slippery jelly sheets are then either cut into thick strips, thin slices or cubes and garnished with crushed dried chilli, hint of mouth tingling Sichuan peppercorns, cilantro, green onion, soy sauce, chilli oil and garlic water. The addition of the mouth tingling Sichuanese peppercorns in this dish betrays its Sichuanese origins. Known as Liang Fen in Chinese, it is popular in Northern provinces of China.
