In a tiny kitchen in Katoomba, Tibetan Pema Choedon is hard at work preparing food from recipes passed down the generations.
Ms Choedon is creating food for the newly opened Tibet Kitchen in Katoomba St, that her mother, Tsesang, taught her to make.
She's opened the eatery with co-owner Kunga Dolma, in loving memory of her mum who died in Tibet in April. Ms Choedon hadn't seen her mum for 20 years, unable to return to Tibet after she escaped to India at age 20.
The duo are hoping customers will enjoy the momo - Tibetan dumplings filled with beef, chicken or lamb, or various vegetarian options, served with tsupen - dipping sauce with ground spices.
For those who like their food hot, there are noodles in various meat broths.
For breakfast there's tsamba - butter or yoghurt with bread, accompanied by masala or butter tea, and summer fruit.
As summer approaches there will be rice paper rolls and cold noodle dishes.
And for dessert there's Tibetan cake, known as tsu, made with roasted barley flour, homemade cheese, nuts and butter.
Ms Choedon settled in Katoomba last year with her husband and two children, and said the area reminds her of Tibet.
"It's cold and windy and fresh," she said.
"The air and the blue sky reminds me of Tibet."
She said the Blue Mountains community had been very welcoming and they intend to give back, by regularly donating food to a free lunch initiative provided at Katoomba Neighbourhood Centre for those in need.
Tibet Kitchen is open six days a week from 8am-10pm.