SPICE OF LIFE

Chef, writer, and broadcaster Romy Gill speaks about the spectrum of flavours she discovered in the region of Ladakh.

- Romy Gill

When I first met my husband Gundeep, he would tell me tales of his travels in India on a scooter. I was always transfixed by the photos he showed me of Ladakh, the province in north-eastern Kashmir. With its snowcapped mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and rolling green meadows, it looked like paradise, and so different from my native West Bengal. The more I learnt about the region’s food, the more I wanted to go.

Having changed hands between Tibet, India, and China over the centuries, Ladakh is a tapestry of cultures whose cuisine reflects Afghan, Mughal, and central-Asian influences, offering a wonderful fusion of traditions, techniques, ingredients, and flavours. Green and black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and fennel are often combined to create deliciously aromatic dishes.