Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom which is famous for its mystery. Known as one of the happiest countries in the world, it is one of the more affordable tourist destinations to travel to. There are a number of delicious Bhutanese dishes which will certainly make your mouth water. Here we list a few of the many Bhutanese dishes you should make time for when planning your Bhutan package:
Ema Datshi
Ema Datshi is one dish which every tourist must taste when in Bhutan. Made from chilies and cheese, it is the national food of Bhutan and does pack a spicy punch. It is similar to a curry and is eaten daily by the natives along with red rice. It is made using green, yellow or even red chilies along with yak or cow's milk, tomatoes and onions. However if spice is not your forte then you should taste the dish with care. The chilies of Bhutan are high on the Scoville heat scale and are hot enough to make some break a sweat.
Red rice
Red rice is small, roundish and sticky in texture and is named so because of its pinkish texture. It is more fibrous than white rice and is loved by many for its coarse taste. The reason why the rice has a pink colour is the fact that the rice paddy of Bhutan's Paro Valley where the rice is grown has mineral rich glacier water. One serving of the rice can provide you with 80 percent of your daily requirement of manganese and 20 percent of phosphorus. This staple is extremely healthy and eating it should be added to your Bhutan package itinerary.
Paksha Paa
Another dish which can be enjoyed with red rice, Paksha Paa is a Bhutanese dish made with pork and rice chilies. It is a classic stew in which strips of boneless pork shoulder are simmered slowly with daikon radish until tender with additions of ginger, bok choy and chili powder. When the stew is ready, it is topped with dried pork and fresh strips of green chili.
Jasha Maroo or Maru
This spicy chicken dish is cooked with a variety of ingredients including chilies, onion, tomato, garlic, coriander leaves and ginger. On some occasions, beef might also be used instead of chicken. Even though it is a stew the dish uses chicken broth which makes it have a good portion of broth. As with most stews and curries, Jasha Maroo is delicious with red rice.
Momos
Momos are the one dish which is famous all over the world and every Bhutan package should make time for them. However Bhutanese momos are a treat in themselves. Momos can be stuffed with almost any ingredient for example, pork, beef, and cabbage, cheese along with garlic, ginger and coriander. In the cold weather, nothing beats the taste of warm momos.
Martin Wynn
