Traditional Tibetan food is the favorite of the fourteenth Dalai Lama. Among his favourite recipes is «momos» or dumplings. These dumplings have been created by Tenzin Gyatso himself. They contain an abundance of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is known for its kindness and closeness to nature, as well as its superfood benefits.
The figure of the Dalai Lama represents the principle of the ideal Bodhisattva. This must be understood in the context of the idea of karma and rebirth, which expresses that one not only lives a life on this earth, but experiences a succession of lives. In the eyes of Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is everything. He has been the temporary governor and also the spiritual head of Tibet for more than 500 years.
The land of the Dalai Lama became interested in olive trees in the 60s. This interest derived from Russia and Albania. The most ambitious project began in 2011, when the Chinese government initiated a program to plant 160,000 hectares of olive orchards in the vicinity of Tibet, in the Himalayas. This project is very advanced, and has resulted in protection against slope erosion, has reduced population migration and has proven to be a profitable and social crop.
With these programs, China, which has controlled the Tibetan region since 1959, aims to increase production of extra virgin olive oil. However, even still it will not meet growing domestic demand.