UNESCO to promote Mongolian comfort food

Mongolian “Banshtai, Bortstoi Tsai” (tea with dumplings and dried meat) recipe has been selected as one of sustainable food recipes of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Banshtai Tsai is a hot and salty milk tea with meat dumplings that many Mongolians enjoy on cold days as it is nutrient rich, delicious and filling comfort food. Many elderly people claim that Banshtai Tsai with seven pieces of dumplings have medicinal impact, saying it will cure all kinds of illnesses like the flu. Mongolians also cook this hearty meal with meat, livestock tail fat, rice or millet, and dried meat called borts.

On the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, Secretariat of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program will organize an event that aims to promote foods that represent features of way of life, culture and agriculture of biosphere reserves. This year will celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity with theme “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health”.

Mongol Daguur Biosphere Reserve submitted the recipe for Banshtai, Bortstoi Tsai and it has been selected for the event. It will be promoted at a food event scheduled on May 22 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris along with other top dishes of countries around the world.

The event is significant for promoting cultural diversity and lifestyle, sharing international sustainable production and consumption practices and learning from eating culture targeted to improving quality of human life.