Butter tea is a featured drink of the Tibetan people. They like to drink it alongside Tsampa (roasted barley flour). There are many functions of butter tea, such as warming up the body, avoiding mountain sickness and preventing dryness.

The tea is combined with salt and butter in a special tea churn, and churned vigorously before serving hot. 

One method to make butter tea is to boil water, and add a handful of the tea into the water, and then allow it to steep until it turns almost black. Salt and butter is then added. The tea is then strained into a slender wooden barrel and churned until the tea reaches the desired proper consistency. Another method is to put butter and tea in a leather bag, tighten the bag and hit hard with a stick.