Ladakhi food is delicious and highly nutritious as fresh, local vegetables are always used.  It can be heavy since it is centres around carbohydrates but is perfectly suited to the people, altitude and climate of Ladakh.  Meat is available in Leh but monasteries and nunneries are strictly vegetarian.

The two things you will come into contact with during your stay will be  butter tea (tea churned with butter - closer to a light soup) and tsampa - roasted, ground barley flour.  Rice is also common.   

You will also see these dishes:

» Pava - dough made from boiling water mixed with tsampa and ground pea flour; eaten with cooked vegetables or lentils.

» Cholak - tsampa mixed into a loose dough with ladakhi tea.      
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