The Cuisine of Bhutan

THE CUISINE OF BHUTAN

• The cuisine of Bhutan is dominated by two elements - Chili & Cheese. Very less incorporation of elaborate Indian spices are seen, and almost all of the gravy dishes are cheese based.
• Another common element in their dishes is dried strips of meat, since Bhutan imports meat from India.
• Khur-Le is a dish served for breakfast. Soft, spongy buckwheat pancakes served with butter, eggs & chili sauce warms up your heart right in the morning.
• Goen Hogay is a preppy cucumber salad tossed with slices of onion, tomatoes, sprinkled with coriander, ample chili flakes and then seasoned with a dressing of the runny cheese that is extensively used in Bhutan for flavoring. It is eaten as a refreshing side dish.
• Jaju is a warm, hearty soup prepared with leafy vegetables that are simmered in ample milk & butter.
• Khatem is thin slices of bitter gourd fried in butter until crispy, eaten with rice.
• Hoentay is steamy buckwheat dumplings filled with turnip leaves & cheese filling, served with a fiery chili sauce.
• Ema Datsi, the national dish of Bhutan, is a rich stew made of fresh/dried chilies seasoned with generous helpings the mildly pungent Datsi cheese. You will run into many version of Datsi dishes, where cheese is cooked with potatoes, or turnips, or chunks of dry meat. It can be beef or pork.
• Sometimes, the dried meat cuts are simply sautéed with lots of whole chilies.
• If you are not a fan of spicy food, then you should inform the restaurant to prepare milder versions of the dishes they serve.
• You can also opt for Nepali/Indian dishes during your stay, as per your liking.