Ladakhi cuisine is not momos and noodles, it's a whole new world of flavour burst

Paba with thangthur at De Khambir, Ladakh.

Another uniqueness is the food preservation, especially by way of sun and shade drying. All bright- and pale-coloured vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, apricots, turnips, apples, etc., are sun-dried and greens are shade-dried for the cooler months when the earth cannot sustain a single blade of grass. Milk and meat are also sun-dried, not something you see in the other Indian regions. We are also into root-cellaring. Hardy root vegetables, like tramnyung (rutabaga), turnips and carrots are preserved in dark rooms through the winter, something that is common even today,” says Angmo.

Chhutagi at Alchi Kitchen.

Chhutagi, Ladakh’s own hand-rolled wheat pasta is a delicious way to get acquainted with the cuisine. In Ladakhi, "chhu" means water and "tagi" means bread. To make chhutagi, flattened dough is cut into circles and shaped into bow-ties. It is then cooked in a thick soup of meat or vegetables. Chhutagi is both delicious and nutritious. Another culinary speciality of Ladakh is skyu. “This is a distinct Ladakhi stew with dough dumplings that warm up people during the harsh Himalayan winters. It’s a comfort dish we have grown up on. I can have it with stuffed khambir, a local traditional bread, at any time of the day,” says Nilza Wangmo, who serves unapologetically authentic Ladakhi food at her restaurant Alchi Kitchen, in a quiet neighbourhood of ancient Alchi monastery in Ladakh. Recipes at Alchi come from Wangmo’s 97-year-old grandma’s kitchen.

Another stellar dish is the Yarkandi pulao a rice dish with big chunks of goat meat. “This dish travelled to Ladakh from Yarkand (part of present-day Xinjiang province in China) along the ancient Silk Road. It used to be Ladakh’s haute cuisine of yore. This was because the pulao was made with rice, an extremely premium grain until about 70 to 80 years ago (till the Public Distribution System was introduced in the region), with meat, fat (clarified butter), and nuts being the other "rich" ingredients,” says Wangmo. Unlike most pulaos and biryanis in the Indian subcontinent, the Yarkandi pulao has no spice barring shah jeera. The almonds and apricot lend the pulao an unmistakable sweetness. Traditional Ladakhi cuisine does not use turmeric, red chili powder or garam masala. “We only use black pepper. Turmeric was traditionally used in medicine but not in cuisine and the chilli used to spice up dishes is the yellow Himalayan chilli called thangnyer,” explains Angmo.

Dried herbs and vegetables used in Ladakhi cuisine. (Photo courtesy: Noon, BKC, Mumbai)

Churpey a type of sun-dried yak cheese is celebrated for its power to flavour stews and dough. It’s rehydrated and used in thukpas while the powered form (chur-jibb) is often kneaded with roasted barley flour for a quick meal any time of the day. For the pop-up at Noon, Angmo mixed it with buckwheat flour to make scrumptious tartlets topped with wood-fired turnips.

Bread talk

Soft fluffy bread called tingmo.

The rich baking tradition of Ladakh has given rise to a variety of breads that are typical of this region. Tingmo a soft and fluffy bun is the most popular and a staple that Ladakhis eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then there’s khambir — a thick and round whole wheat bread with a pita like pocket. Also known as tagi, the leavened bread is made from fermented dough that is first baked over a hot stone and then on live fire. The smoky, slightly charred bread makes for a lovely accompaniment with chai.

Tea but salty!

Gur gur cha. (Photo courtesy: Alchi Kitchen)

The gur gur cha also known as butter tea is unique to Ladakh and an acquired taste for the rest of the country. Most old Ladakhi kitchens have a gur-gur (quiver shaped churn for the tea) of varying vintage. Gur gur cha is not only a favourite beverage but also an indispensable part of life in this region. “We are obsessed with this tea which is made with green tea leaves, milk, butter and salt. We begin our day with gur gur chai mixed with roasted barley flour. A big flask full of this tea is a must in the winters,” says Wangmo. In Leh’s popular Hemis monastery, which is renowned for serving the best butter tea in the region, you can join the monks in their holy prayer and sip the hot beverage alongside them.

Chef Kunzes Angmo.

Talking of beverages chhang is Ladakh’s local beer. Barley is fermented to produce chhang which has an alcohol content of five-seven per cent. Every household makes it own chhang and it is considered auspicious to have a pot of chhang at home. But don’t commit the faux pas of drinking it at once! You have to dip one finger in the chhang and flick a few drops in the air as an offering to the gods and the departed souls.