Food · Turtuk, Ladakh
Apricot orchards and a Balti home kitchen
Turtuk is known for its apricots. In summer, walk the orchards, watch fruit drying on rooftops and sit down to a home-cooked Balti meal of breads, vegetables and apricot dishes in a family kitchen.
Photo: Suryadasika · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsApricot trees shade almost every field in Turtuk. In July the first fruit ripens and families spread apricots on roofs and flat rocks to dry, a store of sugar for the long winter. Kernels are cracked and pressed for oil, used in cooking and on skin in the dry air.
Ask your homestay if you can help in the kitchen before dinner. Balti cooking shares ingredients with Ladakhi food, barley, wheat, butter and dried apricots, but its flavours lean towards Baltistan. Expect flatbreads, a vegetable or lentil dish, and sometimes an apricot soup or chutney.
Buy dried apricots and kernel oil directly from families, who receive the full price. Do not pick fruit from trees without asking; every tree belongs to someone. In late season, ask for the sweet kernel varieties that many families keep for themselves.
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Trips through Turtuk
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Srinagar road to Leh and Turtuk on a budget
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Questions
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When is apricot season in Turtuk?
Fresh apricots ripen from early July into August, depending on the year and the variety. Blossom comes in April. Dried apricots and apricot kernel oil are sold all season. If fresh fruit matters to you, aim for mid-July to mid-August.
Is Balti food vegetarian-friendly?
Homestays can easily cook vegetarian meals of bread, dal, vegetables and rice. Meat is eaten, but usually on special occasions. Tell your host in advance if you are vegetarian, vegan or have allergies. Pork and alcohol are not served in this Muslim village.
Can I buy apricots in Turtuk to take home?
Yes. Families sell dried apricots, apricot kernels and kernel oil, usually by weight. Carry cash and small notes. Dried fruit travels well; fresh apricots bruise easily on the long road back to Leh, so buy those to eat during your stay.