Kasai, a type of Tibetan pastry, comes in many shapes, including strips, squares and butterflies. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]
Residents of Lhasa, the capital of the Xizang autonomous region, were seen bustling on the streets on Tuesday, shopping for kasai - traditional Tibetan pastries - to prepare for the upcoming Tibetan Losar New Year celebrations.
Workers prepare traditional Tibetan pastries in Lhasa, the capital of the Xizang autonomous region, ahead of the Tibetan Losar New Year on Friday. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]
The Tibetan New Year, known as Losar, is one of the most significant traditional festivals for the Tibetan people. This year, the holiday falls on Friday. Kasai are an essential part of the festival celebrations. They are made from flour, butter and vegetable oil.
The artificially colored pastries are coated with sugar, making them delicious and decorative. Many shops make and sell kasai along North Lingkor Road in the center of Lhasa.
Workers prepare traditional Tibetan pastries in Lhasa, the capital of the Xizang autonomous region, ahead of the Tibetan Losar New Year on Friday. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]
Workers are seen slicing dough and shaping it into various forms such as strips, squares and butterflies, frying it until it is golden and then neatly arranging them before sprinkling them with sugar.
Customers select kasai to prepare for the celebration of Tibetan Losar New Year, which falls on Friday. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]
Sonam Chodron, a manager at a kasai workshop on North Lingkor Road, shared that she has been in the business for over twenty years. Her shop opened a month ago, with over a dozen employees busy producing kasai daily.
"Our business is thriving because we have many loyal customers," she said. "They know we use high-quality ingredients and make efforts to control the amount of pigments and sugar, ensuring that our customers enjoy healthy treats."
Kasai, a type of Tibetan pastry, comes in many shapes, including strips, squares and butterflies. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]
According to a Tibetan customer named Gyatso, several decades ago, there were only a few types of kasai available, whereas today, the variety has become much more diverse due to the development of people's livelihoods.
