A gastronomic journey: Exploring the local cuisine of Leh-Ladakh

Leh-Ladakh is a region known for its mesmerising natural surroundings, untamed beauty, spiritual awakenings, and hidden offbeat routes. But did you know that the local cuisine is also worth exploring?

While on your Leh-Ladakh tours, planning a detailed trip is never enough if you don’t try the popular dishes from each of the spots around. To be fair, there’s a lot more to explore than you’d expect. The local cuisine of Ladakh reflects the region's unique geography, cultural influences, and the resourcefulness of its people.

The local cuisine of Ladakh reflects the region's unique geography, cultural influences, and the resourcefulness of its people. The food is hearty and flavourful, and it is made with fresh, local ingredients.

Our aim with this article was to familiarize you with the local cuisine but also highlight some of the popular food items that are representative of some of the most popular spots around Ladakh. If you are interested, keep reading for more information.

Magnetic Hill: Savoring Ladakhi Butter Tea

As you recover from the unique history and the scientific anomaly that’s the Magnetic Hill, you can’t miss out on savouring the famous Ladakhi Butter Tea. It's warming, hearty, and perfect to keep your well-being in check while you are at such a high altitude.

This traditional drink is made by churning tea leaves, yak butter, and salt into a frothy mixture. The result is a foamy, delectable, and creamy tea that sticks to your tongue, making you savour its richness throughout the entire day.

Now, the combination of tea leaves, butter, and salt might seem off-putting but you will never know or understand the combination until you try it. The tea is soothing and perfect after a long trip up the mountains. Given how popular the beverage is, you can find it pretty easily.

Khardungla Pass: Relishing Apricot Jam and Chutney

Known for playing a historical significance in the silk trade route, the Khardungla Pass is another place where you need to try some of the local delicacies, which include the famous apricot jam and chutney.

If you didn’t know, Ladakh is known pan India for its quality of apricots, providing the tree with perfect climatic conditions to grow without any interruptions. However, the abundance of growth significantly contributes to the quality of the apricots that you grow.

Also, when buying the jam and chutney, we’d recommend buying them from the local shops, which typically use more organic and natural ingredients and locally sourced apricots. The natural sweetness and colour of the jam are another factor that you just can’t slide. Not just on desserts, the spread is perfect for bread or even adding a sweet and tartness to savoury dishes.

Nubra Valley: Exploring the Traditional Ladakhi Momos

Thanks to its enriching Tibetan culture and influence, Ladakhi momos are a must-try while you are in Nubra Valley. Sitting down by the side of the road, basking in the breathtaking views while enjoying some piping hot momos and soup is an experience like no other.

For those who aren’t aware, momos are dumplings made with a dough wrapper that’s filled with different kinds of fillings, including vegetables, minced meat, cheese, etc.

Steamed or fried to perfection, momos are served with spicy chili sauce or tangy tomato chutney that’s sure to leave your palate dancing with joy. Don’t be fooled because the chutney is pretty spicy and has a numbing effect, which pairs well with the light and airy dumplings on the side.

Tso Moriri Lake: Delighting in Chhurpi Soup

While tea and momos are pretty common items that most tourists know about, the chhurpi soup is a local delicacy that’s often unheard of. While you are out exploring the Tso Moriri Lake, the rustic flavours of the chhurpi soup are unmatchable.

For those who don’t know, Chhurpi is a type of cheese that’s locally made from yak milk. So, the taste of the dish is pretty strong and sharp and might not be to everyone’s liking. But, you only live once and you can’t miss out on the local delicacies.

The strongly flavoured cheese is added to different kinds of soups and broth, giving it a cheesy and creamy dish with vegetables, meat, spices, and herbs. The result is a comforting and delectable bowl of soup that’s irreparably hearty on the stomach, especially after a long day out.

Lamayuru Monastery: Indulging in Sku and Thukpa

Once you are done exploring the monastery, taking in all the information about the local culture, heritage, and history, it is time to try something local to the place. Sku and Thukpa are the perfect items to try out.

Sku is a wholesome one-pot dish that satisfies both hunger and taste buds. The dish is made using wheat and barley flour dough, which is sectioned into small dough balls and cooked with a variety of meat, vegetables, spices, etc. The aromatic blend of spices is another level in this dish.

Thukpa, on the other hand, is a popular local noodle soup dish that’s perfect to warm and nourish your soul simultaneously. The inclusion of chewy noodles with meat, broth, dumplings, and fresh vegetables is cherished for its aromatic qualities.

Shanti Stupa: Sampling Skyu and Tigmo

A trip to Shanti Stupa is bound to leave you hungry and craving something that’s filling and hearty. Enter Skyu and Tigmo. Once you are done viewing the panoramic view from the Shanti Stupa, trek down to the local food joint and order Skyu.

Skyu is a hearty one-pot meal that combines dough balls with vegetables, meat, or cheese. It is a lot similar to chhurpi soup but with slightly different and more enhanced flavours.

A completely different item worth trying is Tigmo, which is a type of fermented bread that’s soft and fluffy and melts in your mouth the moment you bite into it. The dish is served with a side of pickles and very savoury items, making it a complete and hearty meal.

Shey Monastery: Tasting Khambir and Gur Gur Cha

Shey Monastery is known for its exquisite architecture and serene ambiance but did you know that the place is known for its local cuisine too? The combination of Khambir with gur gur cha is unlike anything else.

Khambir is traditional and local Ladakhi bread made from whole wheat flour. The bread can be eaten on its own, with some butter and cheese, or sometimes with a bowl of soup on the side.

But, the bread is best paired with a steamed cup of gur gur cha, which is a Ladakhi butter tea that contains barley flour in it, making it a somewhat different consistency than what you are normally used to with tea. It is no doubt that the taste is somewhat acquired but after a tiring trek and day around Ladakh, a steaming cup of tea with some bread is as comforting as it gets.

Conclusion

That’s pretty much all you need to know about the simple yet delectable cuisine of Leh-Ladakh. Each place has its unique local item that we’d recommend you give a try. Some items might not sound too appealing but taste delectable. One way to get a clear idea of the best items is to ask the locals. No one will be able to suggest items better than the locals will.

— Anubhav Mukherjee is an independent travel journalist.

• KT Network