I was looking through a recipe book the other night looking for a recipe for pakora. On my shelf was a recipe book that I bought at Samye Ling Tibetan Monastry in the Scottish borders. I saw a recipe for Colostrum which I found rather strange but now it makes more sense.

Colostrum is the “first milk” produced from a cow when it’s young are born, otherwise known as “beastings”. I found this a little strange as I had been under the impression that the Monks at Samye Ling were supposed to be vegan or at least very strict vegetarian. Well that was what I belived before I stayed there for a couple of nights a few years ago. Yes, the food served was healthy vegetarian wholefood. The prridege was inedible though ( the most wallpaper paste consistency I have ever known for porridge. I am glad that I love it raw now so will not offend anyone who offers me a bowl that I can’t eat without gagging!

The other things I found bizzare about staying there was “the smoking corner down by the burn” as this is supposed to be a strictly no smoking, no drinking site, hence why I booked myself in there for 2 nights and headed there with some herbal teas, yoga mat and NO tabacco ( as I was wanting a chilled out place to start my nicotine withdrawl from). Then I overheard a monk saying that he had bacon & eggs for breakfast tomorrow and inviting his friend round to share it. Then the really funny one was when the firealarm went off about 2am and a monk was going a bit beserk swearing openly about the guy who was the one nominated to attend any firedrills and the going beserk monk was ranting that he should have been in his bloody caravan. Samye Ling is a pretty stunning place in the middle of such beautiful countryside but it did not meet my expectations of a chilled environment with everyone mucking in on the daily food prep and gardening chores I had read about.

Here is the recipe from the Samye Ling cookery book:

Colostrum, also known as “first milk” or “beasings”, is the milk which comes from the cow directly after calving/ First milk contains 20% albuminous matter and has a very yellow colour. Sinve ther is often too much for the young calf, we often get our custard from the excess beastings. As it coagulates upon heating, due to the high albumen content, just put in a pirex or baking trays, sprinkle ground nutmeg on top and bake in a moderate oven until set.

I looked up colostrum in Tibetan culture:

In Tibetan culture it is noted that colostrum has especially regenerative properties & it symbolises spirtual nourishment and the abandonment of negative actions.