Travel through Ladakh with its comfort food Chutagi; recipe inside

When we think of Ladakh, we can visualise a heaven on earth with its snow-capped mountains, dusty roads snaking to the hilltops, frozen lakes and a view that only paradise on earth can offer. Ladakh is known for its scenic beauty, fresh air, beautiful locations and stunning landscapes. Another reason why Ladakh is a traveler's paradise is because of its cuisine. Ladakh has an extremely unique cuisine which can easily become a person's comfort food. Chutagi is one such comfort food which is regularly consumed in Ladakh and is known for its health benefits. Chu means water and tagi means bread. Chutagi is pasta cooked in a rich vegetable soup consisting of potatoes, carrots and local leafy green vegetables.

here's a super easy and fun way of preparing Ladakh's comfort food at home. Take a look.

Ingredients

¾ cup whole wheat flour (atta) and for dusting

Salt to taste

4 tbsps oil

200 grams boneless mutton, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 tbsps chopped garlic

2 medium white onions, chopped

2 medium kohlrabies, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

Salt to taste

Crushed black peppercorns

½ tsp red chilli powder

5 cups mutton stock

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

16-20 spinach leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

In a bowl take whole wheat flour, add salt and water and knead into a soft dough and keep aside. Then roll the dough into a semi thick disc, cut into small roundels and make desired shape with it. Then in a pan, heat oil and add mutton and saute for three to four minutes and keep aside. In the pan, add garlic, white onion, kohlrabi, carrots, potatoes, salt, crushed black peppercorns and red chilli powder and mix everything together. Then add three cups of mutton stock and cover and cook for some time. Add mutton, prepared dough pieces, remaining stock and tomato to it and cover and cook. Add spinach and mix well. Transfer into serving bowls and serve hot.

(Recipe: Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef)