Ema datshi

Bhutan's national dish of green or red chilies cooked in a creamy, melty cheese sauce. It is fiery and rich and is eaten with red rice.

Ema datshi

Ema datshi(Dry red chilli version): Rigzen Dema, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

Chilies are eaten as a vegetable in Bhutan, and ema datshi is served at nearly every meal. The cheese is traditionally fresh farmer's cheese made from cow or yak milk.

Explore the cuisine of Bhutan.

Recipe

Make Ema datshi at home

Serves 4Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 large mild green chilies, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 8 oz (225 g) farmer cheese or feta and mozzarella mix
  • 1 tbsp butter or oil
  • Salt
  • Red rice for serving

How it's made

  1. Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.
  3. Add the chilies, tomatoes and water.
  4. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until the chilies are tender.
  5. Crumble the cheese on top, stir and cover.
  6. Cook on low 5 minutes until the cheese melts into a sauce.
  7. Season with salt and serve with red rice.

Variations

  • Kewa datshi with potatoes.
  • Shamu datshi with mushrooms.
  • Dried chili version with a smoky taste.

Cook’s tip: Use mild chilies if you are new to the dish; remove seeds to reduce heat.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit
  • Ema datshi(Dry red chilli version): Rigzen Dema, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)