Cuisines of Bhutan

Vegetarians Dishes

Ema Datsi is the pinnacle of dishes among the food in Bhutan. It is the national dish of Bhutan and has seamlessly become a part of Bhutanese culture. Since most people in Bhutan live in cold mountainous areas, the spiciness of Ema datsi is refreshing.

The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. Just about any type of chili or cheese would be good enough to make this dish. The number of combination is limitless. We prefer large chili is over small ones with local cheese from cow or yak.

You could match column A with any part of column B and your answer would be correct all the time.

Kewa Datsi – If Ema Datsi alone cannot suffice your spicy needs you can also get the taste of Kewa dastsi. The ingredient and recipes are the same as Ema Datsi with the addition of potato (kewa). Just about any type and form of potato can work. It is the most beloved dish in Bhutanese families as it is less spicy than Ema Datsi and is best suited for young kids.

Shamu Datsi – Shamu means mushroom. We prepare Mushroom Datsi using a variety of mushrooms stewed with water, cheese oil and chili. The principle is the same as Kewa Datsi.

Watch a video on how to make Bhutanese Datsi

Non-Vegetarians  Delicacies

Meat Datsi

The pure non-vegetarians there are also variations of datsi of meat.

1. Shakam Datsi- Shakam means dried beef in Dzongkha. This Datsi has finely chopped pieces of dried beef with chili cheese and butter.

2. Sikam Datsi- Sikam means dried pork in Dzongkha. We make Sikam Datsi is using finely chopped dried pork along with cheese and oil. Fat lovers will enjoy it, but eaters should use discretion since not everyone may like the oil.

3. Gondo Datsi – We use the same process as of Shakam and Sikam Datsi to make Gondo Datsi, but it usually has less or no broth. Gondo refers to an egg in Dzongkha.

If cheese is not of your preference then there is are other dishes that might grab your attention. Meat Pa is a form of Bhutanese fried dish with no broth.

Shakam Paa– Beef, chili, and most preferably radish together make up shakam paa. Shakam is one of the most popular dishes in the festive season. We boil the dried beef before frying it to make it soft enough to chew. Then, we fry it along with the other ingredients.

Sikam Paa– Sikam Paa is mostly for fat lovers. The procedure is the same as Shakam Pa but add dried pork instead of beef. You need to be careful as it will test your oil appetite.

Yak Sha Paa– Yak Sha Paa is mostly rare and is an exclusive dish. The people with full access to this incredible dish are the nomadic yak herders. Yak Sha Paa is also a popular dish in Tibet as well and basically is a variation of Shakam Pa with yak meat.

Jasha Maroo– Jasha Maroo is the traditional chicken dish. Ingredients include small pieces of chicken mixed with garlic, ginger, chiles, and tomato sauce. Jasha Maroo is quite spicy like most Bhutanese Dish.

Goep– Goep is basically slices of tripe fried with dried chillies and green onion. It can be as spicy as you would want to be and compliments the red rice with shakam or sikam.

The Regional Food

Puta– This Traditional noodle originates from the valley of Bumthang district. Puta is buckwheat noodles usually served with Sichuan pepper, chili or whey. We make it only on special occasions. There is a belief that eating puta would drive away evil spirits as it resembles humans eating live worms.

Selroti- Selroti, originally from Nepal but is a delicacy amongst the southern Bhutanese. It is basically a homemade doughnut from rice flour, sugar, butter, cardamom, and cloves. Selroti is prepared on special occasions, especially in the festive season.

Fermented Spinach (gundruk) – Another delicacy from southern Bhutan is fermented and dried spinach called gundruk. It is a great way of storing vegetables. We prefer it as the main course or side dish depending on how we cook it. The spinach can also work as a simple ezay to be the appetizer.

Hoentay– Hoentay is a traditional dish in Bhutan that originates from the cold valley of Haa. Haaps (people from Haa district) make this during the Lomba festival.

Lomba is New Year festival for Haaps. Hoentay is a sweet dumpling made from refined buckwheat flour. You can stuff it with turnip leaves, amaranth seeds, cheese, and butter.

The Side Dishes

Jaju– Jaju is to Bhutan what Dal (lentils) is to India. It is a common supplement for Bhutanese curry and rice. Jaju basically is a soup made from a mixture of milk, spinach, oil, chili powder and a bit of cheese. Cooks boil the ingredients together to form a creamy texture.

Ezay– Ezay, like most food in Bhutan, is full of chilies, is akin to a thick hot paste of sauce. It is a great form of appetizer made from any type of chili, tomato, onion, garlic, and cheese.

Lom-Just like gundruk in Southern Bhutan lom is dried turnip popular among northern Bhutanese.

Khatem– Khatem is a side dish made from bitter gourd. We slice it and fried it before serving. It is usually crispy which makes it a great supplement with any of the dishes.

Goen Hogay– Goen means cucumber. Goen Hogay is a Bhutanese salad which is very spicy. It is a simple mix of sliced cucumber, chili, local cheese, and cherry tomato.

Red Rice– Farmers grow Red Rice locally, and scientific studies prove it is high in nutritional value. It highly complements other Bhutanese dishes and is mostly organic since local farmers cultivate it.

The Snacks

Juma – Juma is one of the oldest food in Bhutan. To make Juma, cut the meat into small pieces. Fill an intestine wrapper with the meat, rice, and spices. Cooks prepare it like a regular meat with chili and spices or simply fried in oil for a quick snack.

The Snacks

Juma – Juma, a traditionally made food in Bhutan from minced meat, rice and mild spices filled into the intestine wrapper. It can either be cooked like regular meat with chili and spices or simply fried in oil for a quick snack.

Chogo- Chogo, yet another food of Bhutan, is also known as Chhurpi. Chogo is a hard and dried yak cheese that slowly dissolves in your mouth. It can be considered a quick snack as and when required. It would, however, require patience to eat because of the sheer size and hardness of it.

The Beverages

Suja -Suja, the tea of the Himalayas, is different from any kind of traditional tea. We start it by burning the tea leaves and fermenting it into a brick.

Then we prepare it by churning salt, butter and milk along with the tea. “Su” means churn and “Ja” means tea. It is a highly sought after drink during the cold winters of Bhutan.

Ara– Ara is a locally prepared alcohol from barley, rice, maize, millet, or wheat. The brewer usually make Ara fermentation or distillation of above cereals. It is one of the very few alcoholic beverages that you can consume hot.

Changkey– Changkey is an alcoholic beverage just like ara but is lighter in alcoholic content. It is basically a porridge of rice, butter, and egg. Changkey is popular amongst women especially young mothers for its protein value.