Hoen-tey is a special Haa Valley dish that is usually prepared during Lomba celebrations, the indigenous New Year, which are held on the 29th day of the 10th lunar month. Normally, the ingredients for Hoen-tey are prepared and cooked on the evening of the 28th day. When Hoen-tey needs to be made in large quantities, it is prepared either on the 26th, 27th or 28th day, and then on the 29th day it is cooked. Long ago, Hoen-tey was only made during Lomba celebration. Nowadays it is prepared all year round. To prepare Hoen-tey, you need the following basic ingredients. -\tBuckwheat flour -\tBunches of beet leaves -\tTurnips -\tLocal butter -\tFermented local cheese -\tGinger -\tClove of garlic -\tWild black pepper -\tChili powder -\tWalnut (optional) -\tA few stalks of green onion -\tSalt to taste

The Lepcha community under Samtse Dzongkhag (district), especially the Limithang Chiwog (sub-block) under Samtse Gewog (block), conducts the indigenous festival “Ram Faat” annually. All the Lepcha in this community are Buddhist. It is a community festival where even the Lepchas as far as Paa Chu, Phuntsholing under Chukha Dzongkhag come to observe Ram Faat in Limithang chiwog. It is a five-day festival worshipping the God of earth for protection of their society and country from misery. During this festival, they propitiate the deities seeking protection from natural calamities such as earthquake, flood, landslides and well-being of all sentient beings. There is a strong belief that that their tutelary deity resides in one of the giant mountains where they locally call it as Zay Nga facing North east of their community Lhakhang (temple). Annually, Ram Faat is held for five days from 10th to 14th days of the 12th month of the lunar calendar. This is one of the Lepcha’s most intriguing festivals that the Lepcha community in the locality observe. It is unknown when the Ram Faat was initially introduced but it is conducted in one storied Community Lhakhang, Limithang Chiwog which is three hours drive on a rough feeder road from Samtse Dzongkhag. While the actual date of the establishment of the temple is not known, the head lama said that the Lhakhang used to be there during their fore fathers’ time indicating that the temple used to be there from 16th century. There was no evidence how the Lhakhang looked like before. It has only been five years now that the Lhakhang, with the help of the government support, has been face lifted with the concrete walls and aluminum corrugated sheets. The majestic Guru Rinpoche statue is the primary image in the main shrine room and also require two Choep/chogap (ritual performers) along with the head lama of the community Lhakhang. However, certain parts of the element seemed to have been lost. For example, when asked about the performance of the mask dance during the festival, the Lama (narrator) said that the practice of performing the mask dance during this festival had declined with the loss of the equipment (mask and dress) due to insects and pests. Today, no one in the community knows what kind of mask dances were performed during this festival. The Lama (also the narrator) seems to be frail and old, but he assured that he has two trained disciples in the community who will maintain the continuity of this festival even after his death.

“Kakor” is a delicious soup and rich in nutrients. It is really good for your health, as there are many kinds of fresh fish, meat and vegetables put together. This soup has a lot of ingredients, especially vegetables it can be put to your liking. But in general, the vegetables that are commonly used for this soup are often plants that grow near the house or in the field, such as eggplant, pumpkin, papaya, long beans, bitter melon leaf, green amaranth, Ivy gourd leaf, young leaf of pumpkin, luffa gourd, moringa leaf, young leaf of cassava, palm fruit, slender carpetweed, Agate flower and so on. For fish, there can be many types of fish that can be used, but the most common are large fish without scales, but rich in fat, such as Chhlang fish, Por fish, Chhlat fish, Trornel fish, Pra fish, and so on. But if they do not like fish, they can add three layers of pork. As for the ingredients, there are Kaffir leaf, lemongrass, garlic, galangal, turmeric, ginger root, fermented fish, pork belly, roasted rice (grinded), sugar, salt, and fish sauce (optional). For the first cooking step, one needs to grind the ingredients together and then roast them with oil. Then add Prahok and fried rice and stir the mixture until it smells good. Next, add fish (cut into slices) or minced pork to the mix. Wait until the fish/meat is cooked enough, then add the chosen vegetables and ingredients (salt, sugar ...) into the pot. Stir the ingredients until it well-cooked before adding clean water. The Khmer old saying mentioned that, “a delicious Kakor is made of stir-fried dove meat or turtle meat.”

Oshi Palav (pilaf) is a kind of traditional meal of the Tajik people, which is prepared regularly at homes and in celebrations, rituals, gatherings. In dining rooms, national restaurants and tea-houses the Oshi Palav is everyday favourite meal of Tajik people. The Oshi Palav is prepared from carrot, rice, meat (beef, lamb, chicken), oil, onion and water in a big pot. For better flavor, cooks add some peas, saffron, garlic, caraway seeds, pepper and barberry. During the centuries Tajik people created different kinds of this meal, like "Oshi yak ba yak", "Palavi toki", "Oshi devzira", "Bedonapalav" and etc. up to 200 kinds of the element. In traditional Tajik culture there are many customs, rituals, celebrations and social gatherings dedicated specially to the element in which participate a big number of people, for example, the rituals "maslihat-oshi" (osh for advices), "sabzirezakunon" (cutting carrot rite), "oshi nahor" (morning osh), "oshi zanho" (osh for women), "oshi harifona" (osh of friends), "oshi gapkhuri" (osh with talking) and etc. The Oshi Palav in such gatherings and rituals brings people together and has the character of social integration and unity. People of Tajikistan recognize the Oshi Palav as a part of their traditional cultural heritage and call that as "King of meals". There are many stories, legends, folksongs, proverbs and other folklore texts regarding the element, which show the importance of the element among people. Also the element created many kinds of folk dance with plate, imitating the Oshi Palav cooking, which are played by folklore dance groups.

Tajikistan 2016

A kind of dietary dish, prepared with buckwheat and oil, meat, vegetables in the way of cooking pilaf.

Skills of cooking a kind of ritual dish with flour, milk and oil.

Technology of cooking the famous national dish with rice, beef or lamb, oil, carrot and other ingredients. Palav (pilaf) has different kinds: white, yellow, bargitoki (with grape leafs), pustdumbapalav (with sheep’s tail fat) and etc. In 2016 the nomination of “Oshi Palav, a traditional meal and its social and cultural contexts in Tajikistan” was inscribed on the Representative List of UNESCO.

Skills of cooking a kind of soup with rice, peas, bean, beef, oil and vegetables.

Skills of cooking a kind of dish with milk, flour, oil and sugar. Atola is a favorite dish of children and old people.

Technology of cooking a kind of dish with pasta, beef, oil and vegetables.

Skills of cooking a kind of soup with pasta, beef, oil and vegetables.

Skills of cooking a kind of soup with pasta oil, vegetables, and meat.