Each summer the monks of Lhasa once ended their monsoon retreat, and townsfolk would greet them with bowls of fresh yak yogurt: this is the origin of the Shoton, literally the yogurt banquet, still celebrated at Norbulingka palace. Made from the famously creamy milk of the dri, sho is everyday nourishment on the plateau and a festive offering at the year's most joyful gathering.
Dense and almost cloud-like, with a bracing sourness softened by the deep creaminess of yak milk. A spoonful of sugar turns the sharp tang into something refreshing and faintly grassy, cool against the dry mountain air.
Boiling concentrates and denatures the milk proteins so the yogurt sets firm; live cultures stirred into the warm milk ferment its lactose into lactic acid, thickening it and giving sho its clean, sharp tang.
Variations
Plain sho, sweetened with sugar, layered over dresil sweet rice, churned with tsampa
On the Palate
Where Sho sits in the Tibetan flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
8 steps · 10 min
- 115 min
Bring fresh yak milk (or whole cow's milk) to a gentle boil, stirring so it does not scorch.
- 25 min
Let it simmer briefly to thicken, then remove from heat.
- 320 min
Cool the milk to lukewarm, just warm to a clean fingertip.
Watch outCool the milk to just barely warm on a clean fingertip — too hot and it kills the culture, too cold and it won't set.
- 42 min
Whisk in a spoonful of live yogurt from a previous batch as the starter.
- 52 min
Pour into bowls or a clay pot and cover.
- 6480 min
Wrap warmly and leave undisturbed in a warm spot for 6 to 8 hours to set.
Watch outWrap it warm and leave it dead still for six to eight hours — jostling it while it's setting breaks the curd and it turns watery.
- 760 min
Once thick and tangy, chill to firm it further.
- 82 min
Serve plain, or top with sugar; reserve a spoonful to start the next batch.
