Tanning

Bhutanese used animal skins for a range of purposes and the craft of preparing and using the skins is an old tradition. Animal skin is soaked in water to soften it and soaked in lye or ash with water in order to remove the hair easily. Once the hair and inner flesh is removed and the skin is clean, it is dried and then softened using vegetable oil. After it is malleable, it is used to make different things. Cow hide is also used for making a dish by burning and scrapping the hair, roasting the hide and then cooking it until it is soft. The cooked hide is then fried with chillies and sichuan pepper and eaten with cereal dishes. Tanning and preparation of food is now declining as Bhutan imports leather goods and a lot of meat from India.