Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan
Posted on: July 31, 2019 | 
| 中文
Chap Churo PC Danish Ejaz
Where the views are breathtaking and heights are dizzying, the air might be thin in the Hunza Region but the people are always smiling. When planning a summer adventure/holiday, book your hotel in advance, pack as light as possible, and don’t forget to check the road conditions of the Karakoram Highway before starting your journey.
Hunza has become easily accessible, tourist friendly, rich with sightseeing attractions, and peppered with cafes offering regional cuisine. With lots of activities such as hiking on trails, viewing mountain peaks, visiting historical that keep you on your feet the entire time. This will help enlighten you on what’s in store for your breakfast, lunch, evening tea, dinner and even late night cravings, and the list exclusively contains local, authentic eateries.
After a long journey, your first food pit-stop when getting into Hunza Valley is located nine to ten kilometers past the petrol pump at the turning to Chalt. Just around the bend, Rakaposhi meets your gaze. You are welcomed by a sign-board for the restaurant called Rakaposhi Viewpoint that offers a chance to see Rakaposhi while having lunch in an open and elevated seating area.
Ideally, you should grab yourself a piping hot Chap Churo served right off the pan. The word “Chap” refers to the meat used in the dish (mutton or beef, but not chicken). This local calzone is formed by the union of a soft white flour pockets and beef or Yak meat. The meat is mixed in with chili peppers, tomatoes and fresh coriander leaves. From your perch over a tremendous glacial stream, you can keep ordering more Chap Churo’s until you’ve had your fill.
If you want to eat something memorable when you get to Karimabad, be sure to visit Hunza Food Pavilion located near Baltit Fort. It is run by a local female entrepreneur Lal Shehzadi, who is affectionately known as “Auntie”. Auntie offers her guests live cooking in a cozy setting, both inside and outside her kitchen. Auntie trained in culinary arts from Japan, and prides herself in pressing her own Walnut Oil for her dishes. At the heart of her cuisine is her ability to create recipes that adapt to the surrounding environment, and to serve home-cooked meals in the harshest of weathers. Her specialties include Chap Churo and Hoilo Garma (a local pasta dish).
The pasta in Holio Garma is made on the spot by flattening out bread, and slicing it into fettuccini-styled pasta. The local noodles, known as Laqsha, are also prepared similarly. They are included into the local soup called Dawdo, which tastes unlike anything you have ever tasted.
Soup is an important part of this region’s tradition, and it can vary between savory and sweet, depending on the weather. This warm soup bowl includes meat, leafy greens, Quroot (local cheese), garlic and ginger, and is recommended to be eaten in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon. A hearty broth such as this, tailored with freshly picked vegetables, is best enjoyed on a chilly night beside a campfire.
The lush green valley of Gulmit also has a wonderful view of the iconic Passu Cathedrals on the left, and the impossibly blue Attabad Lake to the right. Located there is the restaurant Bozlanj, owned by a dynamic duo of female entrepreneurs who specialize in Wakhi/Pamiri cuisine. Their business started initially as an apricot oil business, for which they used kernels farmed from their tree in their own home. Wanting to meet the increasing demand from visitors for local cuisine, they introduced a menu that includes Molida, Gral, Ghilmindi, Semnek, Chilpel, Urzuq, Moch, Chumos, Shirin Choy, and many others. Now, their restaurant serves 20 to 30 people at a time, and they also deliver around the valley.
For a decadent local breakfast, order the Gral or Giyal, a mountain crepe made from hand milled whole-meal flour that is coated with apricot, almond or walnut oil, and served with fresh butter. There are a variety of other breads offered throughout Hunza, so be sure to try the Fiti or Phiti, Sheshar, Khamali, Makai Chapati and Urzuq.
Usually consumed with fresh butter and a cup of tea, they are a great source of energy for long excursions and hikes. For lunch, the Ghilmindi works as a simple tortilla quesadilla layered with homemade goat cheese, and garnished with herbs. The complimentary drink to have with this savory treat is the pulpy apricot juice called Chumos.
Nestled between the moraine of the Passu Glacier, and the jagged cones of the mighty Passu Cathedrals, is a restaurant called Glacier Breeze. On the top of its 111 stairs, you can sip your hot tea or coffee while marveling at a 360-degree view of Passu’s Tolkeinesque landscape. Their famous apricot cake is similar to a pineapple upside down cake. It consists of an airy and buttery sponge, resting on a bed of caramelized organic apricots. Prepared one at a time, it is the most popular item on the menu. Make sure to call ahead and order one in advance to cater to those late-night stargazing sessions.
My time exploring Gilgit Baltistan’s ethnic food culture has highlighted the wonderful diversity of taste that Pakistan has to offer. It is not just the food, but the people and the gorgeous landscapes which truly make the trips up North memorable.
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