Sha-tak (Lhasa Special)

Every Tibetan family makes some version of shaptra — stir-fried meat — because it is so easy and tasty. Despite the common misconception that Tibetans are primarily vegetarian, actually they love to eat meat, though it may not be commonly eaten in the countryside in Tibet, because it is considered expensive. Traditionally, this would have been yak (yak-sha), beef (lang-sha), mutton (lug-sha), and goat (ra-sha). Nomads would be more likely to have yak, while farmers in central Tibet would eat more beef, mutton and goat, mostly because they had more access to these animals. Today, shaptra is most commonly made from yak, beef, mutton, or pork.