This is an AI-generated image.
Chilies piled high and treated as the main vegetable — Bhutan's national dish, eaten by some three times a day.
🚧 The Storage app is currently in development. Please check back soon.
"Ema" means chili, and "datshi" means cheese. What sets Bhutanese cuisine apart is that chilies are eaten not as a spice but as the star vegetable itself — Bhutan is sometimes called the world's top chili-consuming nation. The recipe varies from household to household, much like miso soup in Japan, and many people insist "my mother's ema datshi is the best." The trick, it's said, is to let it simmer without stirring.
Trim the stems off the chilies and halve lengthwise (remove the seeds too if you want less heat). Thinly slice the onion and cut the tomato into wedges.
In a pot, combine the chilies, onion, tomato, butter, salt, and water (don't turn on the heat yet).
Bring to medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. The key to Bhutanese cooking is said to be "don't stir."
Once the vegetables are cooked through, tear the cheese into pieces and add it in.
Once the cheese has softened slightly and coats everything, remove from heat.
Serve with a generous mound of rice.