Ema Datshi is Bhutan's national and the country's favourite traditional dish. It is an excellent example of the unique flavour traditions the Bhutanese cuisine possesses, showing great boldness in ingredients and spice usage, both in chillies and cheese. At the heart of the dish are green or red chilli peppers - the stars that shine in the dish. Try this hot and delicious ema datshi recipe. Chopped and cooked onions and garlic form a flavour base, but what makes the dish adventurous is the copious amount of local cheese, even yak's milk cheese. This would complement the hot chillies' warmth with an equally delicious balance between heat and flavour that warms your palate. Ema Datshi is generally prepared with extra vegetables like mushrooms or potatoes, which makes it nutrient-rich. Here is a flavourful recipe of ema datshi. The serving usually does not contain too much salt, and if available, herbs such as cilantro for the freshness. This dish is typically served with steamed rice, which later balances the taste by being cushioned to the dish's spiciness and absorbing the flavourful sauce. In Bhutanese culture, family meals or celebrations are only complete with this dish, as it is one of the most important representations of Bhutan's rich culinary heritage and symbolises hospitality and sharing, which are key aspects of the traditional way of Bhutan. The most crucial dish that anybody could try is Ema Datshi. It is one meal that combines spices, creaminess, and simplicity to make a comfortable and satisfying dish that captures home-cooked Bhutanese flavours.

• 6 gms green chillies
• 70 gms onions
• 15 gms garlic
• 50 gms tomatoes
• 75 gms cheese
• 15 gms butter
• Vegetable oil
• Salt

• Ema Datshi is quite an interesting, hot dish and is often described as the national food of Bhutan.
• It's quite simple in its preparation with a core of green chillies and cheese, making it comforting and exhilarating for those who like a little bit of heat accompanying each of their dishes.
• The recipe is easy and simple enough; it uses merely a few paltry ingredients that, when added together, give the most robust and savoury experiences.
• Firstly, start collecting all the ingredients for this lovely dish.
• 220 gms of jalapeños, if quartered, will be ready to provide that essential great kick of heat.
• Then, 6 gms of green chillies slit to let the flavour out will add up to that 'punch' of the spiciness of the dish.
• Onions are essential for the addition of depth and sweetness: chop 70 gms finely.
• For underlying aromatic tones, use 15g of garlic, roughly chopped. Freshness will come from 50 gms of diced tomatoes. However, 75 gms of grated cheese will give it all the creamy texture and rich flavour that makes this dish shine.
• You will finally need 15 gms of butter, 7 gms of vegetable oil, 5 gms of salt, and 250 gms of water to bind everything together.
• Begin with heating the vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan on medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add sliced onions and saut until they turn translucent and start caramelising. It should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
• This will help bring out the sweetness in the onions, providing a rich foundation for the dish.
• Then, add roughly chopped garlic and stir for about a minute until the aromatic fragrance is released. Be careful not to burn the garlic because this will impart a bitter flavour to the dish.
• Having gotten this done, it's now time to add in jalapeños and green chillies.
• Add them to the onion and garlic, stir, and cook for five more minutes. This will tend to make the chillies soft, and their spiciness infuses into the dish.
• When the jalapeños have cooked down a bit, add the diced tomatoes and keep stirring in.
• The juices that the tomatoes yield will result in a fantastic sauce that contrasts so well with the heat of the chillies.
• The water and salt you stir into this mix will combine well.
• Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat for 10 minutes, allowing all flavours to meld together perfectly to create a rich, spicy base for this dish.
• Then simmer and check the consistency; you'll want to cook it for a few more minutes if you prefer a thicker sauce.
• Once the sauce is to your liking, bring in the star: the grated cheese.
• Sprinkle it over the top and stir gently to combine, allowing it to melt into the creamy texture, perfectly balancing the spice from the chillies.
• Add butter for that added richness, and stir until it's fully incorporated into the dish.
• Serve the Ema Datshi hot, preferably over steamed rice or red rice - the traditional rice of Bhutan. These perfectly spicy chillies with rich, creamy cheese comforting dish are satisfactorily bold.
• However, what's better than this unique taste of the very original Bhutanese cuisine would be to have a delightful meal with loved ones. Enjoy the lively flavours and warmth of Ema Datshi, a true reflection of Bhutan's culinary heritage.