TIBETAN BBQ – espionage –

So I guess they like spicy BBQ up there in political detention.  Oddly enough, this has a lot in common with American ketchup-based barbecue sauces, particularly in the way it’s ketchup-based.  The original bottle of sauce from which I deciphered the recipe says nothing about ketchup, of course, but it does refer to tomatoes, vinegar and “spices”.  Regardless, using ketchup – (and bottled mustard too!) lead to a damn near perfect impersonation of the original sauce.  So is it an authentic Tibetan BBQ sauce? I don’t know – never been to Tibet.  But according to the info at the company’s website it is made by Tibetan expats here in the US – one of whom was an actual political prisoner back in the old country.  So they might simply be sharp Himalayan marketers (their “Tibetan Habanero Crunch” candy is a little suspect) but is any of that important ? Not terribly.  Just know that this is a kick-ass, caraway scented sauce that nobody would bitch about in Tennessee. If you want this gravy without the effort go find it – It’s call “Khatsa (‘Hot Mouth’) Tibetan BBQ Sauce/Marinade” and the website is http://www.khatsa.com

They say it’s good on yak.

½ small onion, grated or pulped in a food processor

2 cloves of garlic, pulverized w/ a mortar or process w/ onion

2” ginger, peeled and grated

1 cup ketchup

2tbs yellow or brown mustard (NOT Dijon, or other wine-based mustards)

2 tbs molasses

1 tsp Rooster Sauce*

1 ½ tablespoons Soy Sauce

½  tsp caraway seed, ground

1. In a medium sauce pan over low heat, sweat the grated onion and garlic until the excess liquid dries up and they get shiny – be careful not to brown.  Add the rest of the ingredients and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. It should bubble occasionally (especially on white stoves…) but not boil.  Let cool for a couple of hours at least.  This will allow the caraway and ginger flavors to develop.
2. Use like regular BBQ sauce.

* I’ll use the term “Rooster Sauce” in a knee jerk fashion througout my food writing. It refers to Thai “Sriracha” Sauce. The most common brand has a picture of a rooster on it and it has become increasingly common in the Asian sections of mainstream supermarkets.  It is far less vinegary than typical American hot sauces (like Tabasco or Frank’s) so it’s most easily substituted with an equivalent amount of crushed, dried chile (“red”) pepper.