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Is lamb the predominant meat in Tibet, Nepal and Butan?

Hi, everyone
Thinking of a trip to these countries. Not familiar with the cuisine. I cannot tolerate gamey meats, even when cooked perfectly, like The French Laundry. Are there alternatives? Thank you for any information.

Posted by
971 posts

I have only been to Nepal and I seem to remember that chicken was on the menu in most places.

Posted by
16893 posts

Without doing any research, I'm going to bet on chicken - small and easy to raise all over the world. My sister lived in Bhutan for 1.5 years and said she had enough "bone-shard curry" - chicken bones are easily hacked into pieces to toss into the pot.

Posted by
1287 posts

Hi Michelle -

Definitely chicken. And memorably (I was soooooo ill), goat!

Having travelled in both India and Nepal I can advise that unless you are totally sure of the provenance of the meat (including it not having been washed in some filthy street gutter, which I witnessed quite frequently) going vegetarian for the duration of your stay is no bad idea!

I’m sure hygiene will have improved in the intervening years since I was last there, but I would advise extreme caution!

That said, that part of the world is stunning and Nepal is top of our ‘we must return’ list. Have a great trip!

Ian

Posted by
752 posts

In Tibet, goat and mutton seemed to be the main meats. In the western hotels in Lhasa they sometimes have the yak burgers (personally not a fan). In all three countries, lentil and bean stews, vegetable curry-style stews, were more common than grilled meat. Fresh vegetables in the summer. I did find a delicious roast chicken under a towel once, in the kitchen of a Tibetan lodge.

In Bhutan I still have fond memories of their chili pepper and cheese main dish.

Posted by
380 posts

Thank you so much for the rapid replies. Sounds like I will be OK. I like chicken, veggies, lentils etc. I'm not really a picky eater, just can't stand game meats. Will proceed with planning the trip.

Posted by
2455 posts

Wonderful and beautiful countries, all. But certainly do be more careful eating than in the US or Europe. The only time I have been really violently sick while travelling was salmonella from delicious chicken (spoiled? undercooked? evil?) in Kathmandu.

Posted by
2527 posts

Yes, on my several trips to. Nepal, delicious vegetarian momos, fairly plain noodles and the ubiquitous dal bhat filled the bill. Also, follow the advice of “Cook it, wash it, peel it or forget it.” Bottled water is available everywhere. I have never been sick there. Have a great trip in Nepal...so many wonderful things to see and do, with very gracious people.