The Bhutanese people love spicy food. Chilies are the most valuable vegetables in Bhutan. Dried or fresh red and green chilies are used to spice up almost all the traditional Bhutanese dishes which is exactly why when you are in Bhutan you should definitely try the national dish of Ema Datshi consisting of chili cooked in cheese.There are numerous variations of this recipe such as Kewa Datsi, Shamu Datshi..The Red rice, which is extremely nutritious and similar to brown rice, is served with most meals in Bhutan. Among the meat items pork, beef and chicken are eaten regularly, while vegetables which are eaten commonly are spinach, pumpkins, radishes, turnips, tomatoes, river weed, onions and green beans. In Bumthang, buckwheat pancakes and noodles replace rice as the favorite staple food.
1. Jasha Maru- Spicy Chicken:
It is a mix of chilies, onions, tomato and coriander leaves mixed with freshly diced chicken. There is a lump sum amount of chicken broth in the dish that makes it even tastier and filling. It is sometimes made with beef too. It is the most popular Bhutanese food. Ingredients: chilies, onions, tomato, salt, coriander leaves and fresh chicken.
2. Phaksha Paa-Pork with red chilies:
It is one of the vintage dishes in Bhutan. The Pork is boiled with ginger radish and chili powder. When the stew is cooked dried pork and green chili is added and served with rice Ingredients: pork, ginger, radish, chili powder, green chilly strips.
3. Momos-Dumplings:
It is probably found in almost every corner of Bhutan. It is an attractive dish mainly for foreigners. Momos are very similar to Chinese Dumplings. The stuffing inside the momos varies but the most common stuffing is minced pork or beef, cabbage, fresh cheese, garlic and coriander leaves. Ingredients: minced pork or beef, cabbage, coriander, cheese, garlic, chili and salt
4. Yaksha Shakam-Yak Meat Dish:
The yak meat is very similar to beef but it is a lot juicier and sweet. The dish is made with yak meat cooked in many different ways and served in rice Ingredients: yak meat, cheese, spicy chili, rice
5. Ema Datshi-chilly cooked in cheese:
It is the most popular dish in Bhutan. It is cooked with green, yellow and red chilies onion tomatoes and fresh Bhutanese cheese and served with red rice. There are two variations of the dish one is watery and the other one is thick and sticky. The dish is served in almost all the restaurants in Bhutan and it sets high standards of Bhutan food and culture Ingredients: chilies, cheese, onion, garlic, tomatoes and red rice
6. Shamu Datshi- mushroom cooked with cheese:
It is the most popular Bhutanese food cooked in almost all the restaurants in Bhutan. It is cooked in the same way like ema Datshi but with mushroom as the chief dish. It is served in red rice. Ingredients: mushroom, chilies, onion, garlic, tomatoes and red rice.
7. Suja-Butter tea:
Suja is butter tea made with fermented yak or cow butter. The saltiness of the tea will depend on the amount of butter added to make your tea. It is served with puffed rice known as �zaow�. Ingredients: butter, salt, and 2-3 cups water
8. Kewa Datshi-potato cooked in cheese:
The potatoes are cut into thin pieces and then fried quickly with cheese, butter, chilies, and tomatoes. The chef primarily focuses on the potato and the cheese as they serve as the main recipe Ingredients: potatoes, cheese, tomato, salt, and chilies
9. Goen Hogay-cucumber salad:
It is a traditional Bhutanese cucumber salad which is served as a side dish for every kind of meal. It is one of the tastiest dishes of Bhutan. Ingredients: chili, onion, cilantro, tomatoes, Sichuan and pepper
Conclusion
Bhutan is a mystical and enchanting land with provides breathtaking scenic views and awesome food. If you have been planning a vacation in Bhutan then you should definitely try out the above mentioned lip-smacking dishes as they will make you run for a bite.
