Bhutanese cuisine

Bhutanese cuisine employs a lot of red rice (like brown rice in texture, but with a nutty taste, the only variety of rice that grows at high altitudes), buckwheat, and increasingly maize. Buckwheat is eaten mainly in Bumthang, maize in the Eastern districts, and rice elsewhere. The diet in the hills also includes chicken, yak meat, dried beef, pork, pork fat, and lamb. Soups and stews of meat, rice, ferns, lentils, and dried vegetables, spiced with chili peppers and cheese, are a favorite meal during the cold seasons. Zow shungo is a rice dish mixed with leftover vegetables. Ema datshi is a spicy dish made with large, green chili peppers in a cheesy sauce (similar to chili con queso), which might be called the national dish for its ubiquity and the pride that Bhutanese have for it.

Other foods include jasha maru (a chicken dish), phaksha paa (dried pork cooked with chili peppers, spices, and vegetables, including turnips, greens, or radishes), thukpa, bathup, and fried rice. Cheese made from cow's milk called datshi is never eaten raw, but used to make sauces. Zoedoe is another type of cheese made in the Eastern districts, which is added to soups. Zoedoe is normally greenish in color and has a strong smell. Other types of cheese include Western types like Cheddar and Gouda. Western Cheese is made in the Swiss Cheese Factory in Bumthang or imported from India.

Popular snacks include momo (Bhutanese dumplings), shakam eezay, khabzey (dried fritters made with flour, water, and sugar, which are then deep-fried), shabalay, juma (Bhutanese sausages marinated in spices), and noodles. Restaurants in the country can serve Chinese, Nepalese, Tibetan and Indian foods, which are very popular and in recent years Korean restaurant have opened due to the increasing popularity of Korean popular culture in the country. Dairy foods, particularly butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are also popular, and indeed almost all milk is turned into butter and cheese. Popular beverages include butter tea (called suja), milk tea (called ngaja), black tea, locally brewed ara (rice wine), and beer. Spices include curry, cardamom, ginger, thingay (Sichuan pepper), garlic, turmeric, and caraway.

Features
Bhutan's gastronomy uses a large quantity of red rice (similar to brown rice in texture, but with a nutty flavor, and the only variety of rice that grows at high altitudes), buckwheat and more and more corn. Buckwheat is eaten mainly in Bumthang, corn in the eastern districts, and rice elsewhere.

Dishes
The diet in the hills also includes chicken, beef yak meat of beef dry, lean pork, fat pork and lamb. Soups and stews made of meat, rice, ferns, lentils, and dried vegetables, seasoned with chilies and cheese, are favorite foods during the cold seasons. Zow shungo is a rice dish mixed with leftover vegetables. Ema datshi is a spicy dish made with large green chili peppers in a cheese sauce (similar to chili con queso), which could be called the national dish because of its ubiquity and the pride that Bhutanese have for it.

Other foods include jasha maru (a chicken dish), phaksha paa (dried pork cooked with chili peppers, spices and greens, including turnips, greens, or radishes), thukpa, bathup, and fried rice. Cheese made from cow's milk called datshi is never eaten raw, but is used to make sauces. ZoedoeIt is another type of cheese made in the eastern districts, which is added to soups and is normally greenish in color with a strong odor. Other types of cheese include western types like Cheddar and Gouda. Western Cheese is made at the Swiss cheese factory in Bumthang or imported from India.

Rice is a staple with every meal; traditionally red rice, but white rice is now common too. Vegetable or meat dishes cooked with chili and/or cheese comprise the accompanying cuisine.

Bhutanese food has one predominant flavour - chili. This small red condiment is not only added to every dish but is also often eaten raw. So, if you don't like spicy-hot food, make this abundantly clear before ordering a meal. Otherwise, you'll be spending the next hour dousing your mouth with cold yoghurt or milk.

Bhutanese delicacies are rich with spicy chili and cheese. All the hotels, resorts and restaurants will offer delicious Bhutanese food, Chinese, Continental,and Indian cuisines.

Rice forms the main body of most Bhutanese meals. It is accompanied by one or two side dishes consisting of meat or vegetables. Pork, beef and chicken are the meats that are eaten most often. Vegetables commonly eaten include Spinach, pumpkins, turnips, radishes, tomatoes, river weed, onions and green beans. Grains such as rice, buckwheat and barley are also cultivated in various regions of the country depending on the local climate.

The following is a list of some of the most popular Bhutanese dishes:

Ema Datshi: This is the National Dish of Bhutan. A spicy mix of chillis and the delicious local cheese known as Datshi. This dish is a staple of nearly every meal and can be found throughout the country. Variations on Ema Datshi include adding green beans, ferns, potatoes, mushrooms or swapping the regular cheese for yak cheese.
Momos: These Tibetan-style dumplings are stuffed with pork, beef or cabbages and cheese. Traditionally eaten during special occasions, these tasty treats are a Bhutanese favourite.
Phaksha Paa: Pork cooked with spicy red chillis. This dish can also include Radishes or Spinach. A popular variation uses sun-dried (known as Sicaam).
Hoentoe: Aromatic buckwheat dumplings stuffed with turnip greens, datshi (cheese), spinach and other ingredients.
Jasha Maru: Spicy minced chicken, tomatoes and other ingredients that is usually served with rice.
Red Rice: This rice is similar to brown rice and is extremely nutritious and filling. When cooked it is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.
Goep (Tripe): Though the popularity of tripe has diminished in many countries it is still enjoyed in Bhutan. Like most other meat dishes, it is cooked with plenty of spicy chillis and chilli powder.

Vegetarian dishes
Ema-datsi. Ema means chili and datsi is a kind of cottage cheese, so ema-datsi is similar to jalapeños with cream cheese.
Kewa-datsi. A potato, cheese and chili dish.
Shamu-datsi. A mushroom, cheese and chili dish.

Kewa-datsi and shamu-datsi tend to be less hot than ema-datsi; all three dishes are generally served with rice.

Mutter paneer. Though not a Bhutanese dish, this Indian staple of curried peas and cheese is readily available throughout Bhutan and is therefore an additional choice for vegetarians.
Cheese momo. A small steamed bun that traditionally contained cheese, cabbage and sometimes onion. However, these days other vegetables, including green papaya, may be substituted for cabbage.
Khuli. Buckwheat pancakes - a specialty of Bumthang. They are often served with ema-datsi as an alternative to rice.
Puta. A dish of buckwheat noodles usually served with curd - a specialty of Bumthang

Imtrat run canteens that sell excellent Indian dishes along with tea from 9:30AM–4:30PM. The quality of the food is very good, while the price is low. The canteens are located throughout the country, especially along main highways.

Desserts
Popular snacks include momo (Bhutanese dumplings), shakam eezay, khabzey (dry fritters made with flour, water and sugar, which are then fried), shabalay, juma (Bhutanese spice-marinated sausages), and noodles. Restaurants in the country can serve Chinese, Nepalese, Tibetan and Indian food, which are very popular and Korean restaurants have been opened in recent years due to the increasing popularity of Korean culture in the country. products dairy, especially butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are also popular, and indeed almost all milk turns into butter and cheese.

Drinks
Popular beverages include butter tea (called Suja) milk tea (called ngaja), black tea, the ara (rice wine) and locally brewed beer. Spices include curry, cardamom, ginger, thingay (Sichuan pepper), garlic, turmeric, and caraway.

Ara. A local spirit brewed from rice or corn. It is popular in rural areas, and often served in restaurants, particularly at the start of meals, poured from a special vessel.
Tea. Located next to the tea growing regions of Assam and Darjeeling, a steaming cuppa remains the popular drink in Bhutan, with both the butter variety (suja) and sweet milk kind (cha) readily available throughout the country. The butter tea is very traditional but has quite a strong flavor and is similar to Tibetan tea, while the sweet milk kind is very drinkable and is like Indian chai.
Coffee. The coffee culture that has swept most of the planet is just beginning to creep into the country, and there are a few good cafes in Thimphu. However, for the most part, coffee in Bhutan means the instant variety and it is served simply white or black.
Beer. The main local beers are from Bhutan Brewery (founded 2006), part of the Tashi Group conglomerate, and are sold in 650 ml bottles: Druk 11000 (8%) is cheapest and a lot of alcohol; slightly higher quality and lower alcohol are Druk Lager Premium (5%) and Druk Supreme (6%); none of these is particularly good. There is also sometimes Red Panda Weissbeer (wheat beer), which is rather good. Imported beers may not be available, as importing these is sometimes banned (to preserve foreign reserves).
Whisky. There is some "Bhutanese whisky", though it is neither Bhutanese nor straight whisky. Rather, it is blended whisky, made of imported Scotch malt whisky blended with grain neutral spirits: it is blended and bottled in Bhutan, but not distilled locally. These are produced by the Army Welfare Project in Gelephu, and the main brand is Special Courier, which is surprisingly drinkable.

Etiquette
When offered food, one says meshu meshu, covering one's mouth with the hands in refusal according to Bhutanese manners, and then gives in on the second or third offer.