A Taste of Tibet

With several monasteries, dancing-in-the-wings prayer flags conversing with the gods above, the endless trinket shops packed with silver and stone jewellery - don't miss the lapis lazuli, jade and coral- women with intricately braided hair, some dressed in Bakus, it is inevitable that Tibet is a strong presence in Leh. After having survived the oxygen deprived air, the ride to the highest motorable pass in the world, Khadung La Pass (18,380ft) including a determined climb further up the snow laden slopes to the tiny monastery perched at the top, riding the double humped Bactarian camels at Hunder, a desert at 10, 000 ft enveloped by snow covered peaks and trying to do a catwalk on the sand dunes, struggling it out for two nights at a so-called luxury camp at Nubra Valley and visiting the last and secluded Indian habitation, Turtuk, we decided to celebrate  the end of a wonderful adventurous trip by splurging on an authentic Tibetan meal on return to Leh. It had to be at The Tibetan Kitchen and the main course had to be gyakko, the Tibetan hot pot. Except that the order had to be placed twenty four hours before and here comes the clincher - a minimum advance of Rs 1,000 was a must. Calling the restaurant from Nubra had itself been an ordeal, so how were we to organise the advance payment?  I guess you don't tell hungry Indians - no money, no reservation. No we didn't parrot the ;usual the usual do you know who my father is? Or do you know who I am? Nah, we just made a series of phone calls - before that we scrambled around finding the spots where connectivity could be established and not even breathing hard in case the connectivity was lost. And while we are at it , have you seen an adult man or woman bent at a particular angle, holding the mobile at another peculiar angle and talking at the top of the voice while fervently praying for continuous connectivity at the same time? If you do, don't make the mistake of laughing at them, the consequences can be painful.

There it was - the steaming hot pot-gyakko. Hmm, it looked as expected, a big brass-copper steamboat placed on an aluminum foil wrapped plate, with huge chunks of meat, veggies, tofu and more bubbling in a clear soup with hint of garlic. Along came the accompaniments - rice, salads and the Tibetan steamed buns of tingmos (without fillings). After the expectations, after the anticipations, to me it was totally bland. Despite lashings of salt, pepper and a greenish gooey chili sauce out of a bottle, I could not make a meal of it. Well taste buds surely vary and I sat back and watched the others gobble and slurp it all up with much relish. I would have given anything for a plate of steaming hot pork momos with the virulent-red hot chili chutney. To each his/her own I guess and no thank you, I do not have mundane, crass taste. But if you are in Leh and prefer a gurgling Tibetan steamboat, call The Tibetan Kitchen (+91-9697811510). And please keep the advance ready!