Stew Happens in Ladakh

Shaped by the resilience of mountains, Ladakh's food story runs deeper than just momo and thukpa

- By NIVEDITA JAYARAM PAWAR

The last thing one would expect in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh is a pasta dish. But chutagi, a hearty stew with bow-tie shaped pasta, comes as a warm surprise. Skyu, a staple packed with thumb-sized wheat balls and slow-cooked in a broth, is another delicious reminder that Ladakh's food story runs deeper than just momo and thukpa.

Ladakh's food is born from "profound ingenuity and a pantry shaped by resilience," says hotelier Stanzin Tsephel who runs Organic Retreat in Nubra valley's Hundar village. Tsephel serves an elaborate, seven-course, traditional Ladakhi meal. It begins with crispy buckwheat crackers and tangy curd dip, followed by gya-thuk, a comforting soup with noodles, vegetables, and meat—a favourite at family gatherings during winter season.