Bhutanese Ema Datshi Recipe

Ema datshi is a stew of spicy peppers and cheese from Bhutan. The chili peppers are cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes until tender then the cheese is added last and left to melt. It is served as a side dish and is usually accompanied by plain cooked rice.

‘Ema’ means chili and ‘datshi’ is a traditional Bhutanese cottage cheese. The dishes’ level of spiciness can range from mildly spicy to incredibly spicy and fresh or dried chili peppers can be used. Chilis are eaten just like a regular vegetable in Bhutanese cuisine. Butter may be added to make the cheese saucier.

Ema datshi is one kind of datshi dish and the name changes based on what is included for instance, when made with mushrooms instead of chili peppers the dish is called shamu datshi and when made with dried beef it is called shakam datshi.

Origin & Significance

Ema datshi originated in Bhutan and is considered the country’s national dish. It is enjoyed by adults and children alike, eaten as a household staple, served in restaurants and prepared for festivals and rituals.

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Bhutanese Ema Datshi Recipe

Yield: 2 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ema datchi is a stew of spicy peppers and cheese from Bhutan.

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Ingredients

• Jalapeños (quartered) - 8 oz.
• Green chillies (slit) - 1 tsp
• Onions (sliced) - 1 cup
• Garlic (roughly chopped) - 1 tsp
• Tomatoes (diced) - ½ cup
• Cheese (grated) - 1 cup
• Butter - 2 tsp
• Vegetable oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Water - 1 ¼ cup

Instructions

1. Remove the stalks off the chilli peppers and cut them in quarters lengthwise.
2. Slit the green chillies - removing the pith will reduce the spiciness if desired.
3. Slice the onions, roughly chop the garlic, and dice the tomatoes.
4. Add all the ingredients to the pan along with the salt, oil, and water.
5. Turn on the heat and cover the pan with a lid.
6. Allow everything to boil on medium heat for 15 minutes until the peppers have softened.
7. Turn off the heat then add the butter and grated cheese.
8. Stir until the cheese has melted.
9. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 393Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1608mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 17g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.