Chillies as a vegetable, red rice, buckwheat and butter tea — what you will eat in Bhutan, what to try first and how to eat it comfortably.
The first thing to know is that chillies are not a seasoning in Bhutan; they are a vegetable. The national dish, ema datshi, is made from fresh chillies simmered in cheese sauce, and it is as warming as it sounds.
What to try
- Ema datshi — chillies and cheese; try kewa datshi (potato) or shamu datshi (mushroom) for a gentler start.
- Red rice — nutty, slightly chewy and served with almost every meal.
- Momos — dumplings filled with pork, beef, cheese or vegetables, usually with a fiery dipping chilli.
- Phaksha paa — pork with dried chillies and radish.
- Hoentay — buckwheat dumplings stuffed with turnip greens, a speciality of Haa.
- Suja — butter tea, savoury and unusual at first. Many travellers grow to love it.
- Ara — a homemade spirit distilled from rice or maize, offered at celebrations.
Eating comfortably
Spice can be adjusted. Ask for the chilli on the side, or let your guide arrange milder dishes in advance. Vegetarian options are common, and we cater for vegan, gluten-free and other needs with notice.
Learn it hands-on
A cooking session in a Thimphu kitchen or a village farmhouse is one of the easiest ways to understand the cuisine. Ask us about arranging one.
