A tour to Bhutan isn’t complete until you try Bhutanese food. The Bhutanese love a spice that stands out so firmly in many dishes. Tourists who are vegetarians could sigh in relief more about the food they could eat. Even though there are many famous dishes with meat, many Bhutanese folks are vegetarian. There is also a lot of Indian and Chinese food all over the country.
List of the Bhutanese Food – 20 Bhutan Cuisine That You Must Try!
1. Ema Datshi
The dish that everyone knows. Even if you try, you can never go wrong with a plate of Ema Datshi. Emadatsi means “chili and cheese” in its original language. When you’re in Bhutan, you’ll eat ema datshi not just every day but probably at almost every meal.
Every dish you eat in Bhutan will have chilies in it. The chilies, either fresh green chilies or dry red chilies, are cut in half lengthwise and boiled with datshi, a local Bhutanese cheese, and lots of butter. And cheese? Well, the Bhutanese are known for making many different kinds of cheese.
2. Shakam Datshi
Shakam Datshi is another version of this dish. It is made from pure Bhutanese dried beef, famous meat. The beef is stored but has not lost all of its water. Then, this is cooked in cheese and butter.
3. Kewa Datshi
Bhutanese people love potatoes as much as they love chilis and cheese. It is made similarly to ema datshi, but the potato is cut into small slices and sauteed in oil or butter before the cheese is added. This is great for people that want to try Bhutanese food but don’t like spicy foods.
4. Shamu Datshi
Mushrooms (Shamu) can be found in Bhutan in all their varieties and glory. People go hiking in the mountains and forests to find them (watch out for the poisonous ones!). You will enjoy these mushrooms in a cheesy stew (with chilis!). Many Bhutanese people like this dish.
5. Shakam Ema Datshi
Shakam is dried meat, and there are many different kinds of it in Bhutan. Beef is the most common type of dried meat here, but all meat can be dried. Then it is cut into small pieces that can be put in the datshi. You can make it either rich and cheesy or soupy and savory.
6. Shakam Paa
Shakampaa is a great Bhutanese dish with dried beef, dried chilies, and sometimes radish slices. Again, the dried and preserved beef has a chewy texture and is mixed with many dry chilies. During my month in Bhutan, Shakam Paa became one of my favorite protein dishes.
7. Jaju
Jaju is milk & vegetable soup. Milk, butter, and cheese are used to make the soup. Most of the time, spinach or turnip leaves are used. Jaju is a mild soup that goes well with various other foods. On colder winter days, it tastes perfect.
8. Bjasha Maroo
Bhutanese BjashaMaroo It has leeks, garlic, onions, ginger, and green chilis. To make chicken stock, chicken bones are boiled with salt. The dish can be made even spicier by adding chili flakes &Ezay, which is a hot Bhutanese condiment.
9. Lentil Soup
The lentils are depleted, added to the other ingredients, and fried for several minutes. People add water and let it boil. When lentils and spices are combined, they make any meal taste like a feast. Usually, rice & ema datshi are served with this soup—many hungry travelers like the mixture.
10. Phaksha Paa
Along with beef, chicken, and yak mutton, pork is famous in Bhutan. The pork is sliced thinly and stir-fried with dried red chilies, other veggies, and mushrooms. Most of the time, this dish is ingested with rice. The taste goes well with the rice. Since this is a dry dish, you can serve it with either jaju or dahl.
11. Sikam Paa
This food is served with pork belly dried in the hot Bhutanese sun for a long time. The meat is then cut into strips & fried with dried red chilies, garlic, onion, and other ingredients. Usually, it is served with rice and soup.
12. Goep
If you like tripe, goep in Bhutan is a great dish. It’s made with slices of tripe, dried chilies, onions, and small vegetables. Like in many other well-known Bhutanese dishes, the crisped chilies in goep are what you’ll like most about it. The tripe can be a little chewy, but that’s how tripe is supposed to be.
13. Jasha Maru
Another famous dish in Bhutan is Jasha Maru. Onions, chicken, ginger, tomatoes, and garlic are all used in the preparation. One of Bhutan’s spiciest meals, this fish should be consumed with caution. Like other genuine cuisines, it is usually served with Red rice.
14. Zow Shungo
Bhutanese people are well-known for their anti-waste attitudes and penchant for repurposing food scraps. The case of ZowShungo, which is prepared from red rice and vegetable scraps, it’s an excellent example. Many people like making this meal since it is simple and reduces waste.
15. Dumplings
When it comes to Asian cuisine, dumplings are the most popular dish. Bhutanese cuisine also includes them. They are well-known for serving the world’s most excellent dumplings. There is a wide range of fillings on the market, including pork, chiles, beef, and cheese.
16. Goen Hogey
This meal is an exception to the meat content in Bhutanese cuisine. Sliced onions, cilantro, cucumbers, and shredded datshi cheese are all used in this meal, which is one of Bhutan’s lightest cuisines. You’ll feel rejuvenated after eating these foods, which are often paired with Sichuan pepper zheng.
17. Suja
Suja Yak produces wool, milk, and other dairy goods in Bhutan. Yak Milk is also used to make their drinks. Bhutanese tea is distinct from that drunk in other countries. Tea prepared from Yak milk plus fermented Yak butter is called Suja, and it may help alleviate flu symptoms and the common cold. All around Bhutan, it’s a popular choice.
18. Puta
Bhutanese cuisine’s main dish, puta, is a complete meal in and of itself. Buckwheat is used to make noodles, making them nutritious. To make it, prepare the noodles with the desired veggies, meat, and sauce in place of the traditional rice. They are often boiled but are served fried in oil.
19. Red Rice
Bhutanese people eat a lot of red rice. It is a kind of rice that grows in the Eastern Himalayas and has medium-sized grains. Due to its partial milling, it cooks more quickly than other types. Due to its lack of gluten, it is a very healthy option. A bald taste mixes nicely with this condiment.
20. Ara
Bhutanese cuisine’s signature drink, Ara, has been around for centuries. Wheat, millet, rice, barley, or buckwheat may be fermented to make it. Creamy in color with a distinct flavor and scent, it seems white. Then, adding eggs & butter to it turns it into a hearty brew.
Final Words
Bhutan is among the world’s most beautiful and culturally intact countries.
Even though Bhutanese cuisine isn’t well-known outside of the country, it’s one you should try if you have the opportunity and like good food. Bhutanese cuisine offers various tempting dishes, from ema datshi to dried yak and a dizzying array of chili sauce combinations.
Thanks for reading this list of delicious Bhutanese cuisine!
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