Eat like a local under the stars in Turtuk

A tasting menu and a bounty of fresh produce make for a journey of discovery in this remote Himalayan village

- Ruth Dsouza Prabhu

Eat fruits off the trees and dine with a king!, we were told as we set out for Turtuk from Hunder in Ladakh. So far, we had relished soul-satisfying meals of thukpas, momo, and home-style pulaos made with fresh, seasonal vegetables or goat meat, and ingredients such as sea buckthorn, caper greens, nettles, local mushrooms and yak cheese.

Historically a key stop on the Silk Route, Turtuk's Balti culture is influenced by Afghanistan, Central Asia and Persia, and this reflects in the local food culture.

Balti cuisine leans towards plant-based foods, and goat meat is preferred in winter. Seasonal produce is the norm with a conscious effort to ensure agricultural practices remain organic. Fresh fruit, particularly apricots, vegetables, yak cheese and buckwheat in the form of breads, noodles and pancakes are everyday dishes. Unlike the rest of Ladakh, the influence of Tibetan food on Turtuk's cuisine is minimal owing to the strong Balti Muslim culture.

You can pluck fruits off the trees as you wander around Turtuk. Abdul Rashid Khan, 67, is the founder of Hill Tribe, an organic store here that sells flour, dehydrated apples and apricots, pre-mixes of the local buckwheat pancake kisir and bottled fruit preserves. At his two-acre farm nearby, guests can pick apples, plums and apricots, while he shares stories of the local culture.

Over time, farmer numbers have dwindled in the region owing to migration for education and better opportunities. A change in palate has taken place too, with more locals travelling out of the region.