No... Atomou, I worked with the Tibetan chef who couldn't speak a word of English - and yet he managed to be able to convey the methodology of making those delightful little pastry morsels called momos (that traditionally have yak meat in them) with minced lamb as a substitute - it seems to be more readily available in our supermarkets. He was constantly being jibbed by another Tibetan chef for making the momos so small and pretty - more like you'd serve to royalty. I could only take his word for that.
The other chef later had a go at making dozens of them but they were twice the size and not nearly as attractive.
We all spent hours cooking this enormous banquet for all these monks who eventually arrived for a ceremony to bless the house we were in. We hadn't been allowed to eat up until then, and in fact had to wait until the monks ate first.
During the chanting which was done before the meal, (which was a noise I'd never heard before), their translator who accompanied them offered an explanation as to what they were chanting. He explained "They're saying they owe nothing to Buddha and they deserve this because they are such good guys". He was only joking of course.
He also said he had seven wives (which was true I later found out). He said he lines them up in the bed and starts on the left hand side, and by morning he's on the right hand side. lol. That of course, was not true as the wives lived in different States.
He also asked me to be his wife... but I explained that as he already had seven wives... one for each day of the week, the thought of being his 'public holidays' wife didn't really appeal.
Bizarre house warming to say the least, but the momos were really delish.
