I get asked what my favorite place in the world is often, and my answer depends on the scope of the question. If it's about nature, Bhutan is, without a doubt, my favorite place in the world. A small mountain kingdom nestled in the Himalayas between India and China. The sheer scale of the mountains and the unspoiled natural beauty is unlike anything I've ever seen. Add to that a warm population that hasn't fully succumbed to the corrupting influences of capitalism, and it's a small piece of heaven on Earth.
Ema Datshi literally means "Peppers and Cheese" in Dzongkha, and it's the unofficial dish of Bhutan. Although it's often called "Bhutanese curry," it doesn't have any of the spices you'd typically associate with curry. Instead, it's a mixture of peppers cooked in a cheese sauce. The types of peppers used can vary from fresh mildly spicy ones to face-meltingly spicy dried chilies, and even the cheese that's used can vary from region to region.
I like using a mix of spicy and sweet peppers for my version, which makes for a nice juxtaposition to the rich cheesy gravy. Of course, if you can take the heat, you can adjust the mix of peppers you use accordingly.
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Units
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oil
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper
- 13 grams garlic
- 160 grams onion ½ large onion
- 360 grams chili peppers stems removed and cut into strips
- 160 grams tomato cut into 8 wedges
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 100 grams cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter optional
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Add the Sichuan pepper, garlic, and onions and sauté until fragrant and the onions start to wilt.
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Add the chili peppers, tomato, salt, and water and cover with a lid. Cook for 8 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
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Add the cheese and stir until it’s melted into the sauce. If you want to make it even richer, you can mix in a pat of butter at the end.
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Serve Ema Datshi with Bhutanese red rice, or bread.
Kathy Stroup says
The cold, dreary weather drove the memory of this dish back into my consciousness. I was quite obsessed with Ema Datshi in the late Winter! So comforting and delicious, and so easy to make. The Sichuan peppercorn really makes this pop. Now I'm wondering what a cold version of this would be like? I suppose I'll find out if the sun ever comes out!
Marc Matsumoto says
I like the idea of a chilled one! I guess the trick will be getting the cheese incorporated without having it clump up or solidify as it chills. Perhaps some starch could help with that.
Jake Carni says
Hi Marc,
I have been reading about Bhutanese cuisine and was glad to find you have a recipe for this, though I haven't had a chance to try yet. What kind of cheese have you used to make this? Any recommendations?
Looks like they originally used a Nak cheese of some sort (and maybe a moldy turned version for 'churu'). Is this recipe best with a 'farmer's cheese' type product? Or cheddar (yours looks yellow, and I love me some cheddar cheese)?
Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jake, welcome to the site! Ema Datshi is ubiquitous in Bhutan, but it was made differently by region and even season. Some areas (towards the south) use very spicy chilies whereas it was milder up north. In winter it's made with dried chilies where as fresh chilies are used in summer. As for the cheese, I've had it different types of cheese, but I think I like it best with a mild melting cheese with a lot of umami. There's actually a cheese company started by a Swiss guy in Bumthang that makes Gouda and Emmentaler. I tend to make it with whatever cheese I have on hand, but I think I like it best with Gouda or Comte. The orange color in mine came from the tomatoes and red peppers. I've never tried it with cheddar, I love the flavor, but I generally don't use it alone for cooked dishes like fondue or mac and cheese because it tends to get gritty. I hope you enjoy this!