Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to elucidate the milk processing system of Amdo-Tibetan pastoralists (a nomad and an agro-pastoralist) in the eastern Qinghai Province. In the Amdo area, the milk processing techniques of fermented milk processing series, cream separating series and coagulating-additives using series were wildly utilized over the subsistence groups. The characteristics of fermented milk processing series was that 1) the churning was conducted after natural fermentation of raw milk or adding sour milk into raw milk, 2) the both stirring tank/stick and leather bag were used as the churn, 3) the extraction of milk fat was terminated by butter as the consumption purpose, and 4) the unripened dry cheese was processed by heating and dehydrating buttermilk. The cream separating series and coagulating-additives using series were not main milk processing techniques in the Amdo area. The important future discussion topic is to clarify the origin and development process of milk processing system in the Amdo-Tibetan pastoralist through the comparative analysis with surrounding area.
