In Bhutan, chillies are not a seasoning — they are a vegetable. The national dish, ema datshi, is a fiery stew of green or red chillies and local cheese, eaten with Bhutanese red rice.
Dishes to try
- Kewa datshi — potatoes with cheese, a gentler option.
- Shamu datshi — mushrooms and cheese.
- Phaksha paa — pork with dried chillies and radish.
- Puta and khuli — buckwheat noodles and pancakes from Bumthang.
- Momos — dumplings filled with cheese, vegetables or meat.
- Suja — salted butter tea.
Hotels usually tone down the spice for visitors, so ask your guide to take you to a local restaurant for the real thing.
