National Dish · Chili & Cheese Stew
Ema Datshi
Photo: Satdeep Gill / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
It's treated less like a spicy condiment and more like a vegetable dish in its own right — whole chilies are the bulk of the meal, not a garnish on top of it.
Whole green or red chilies are simmered with a soft, local farmer's cheese (datshi) until they soften into a thick, fiery stew, usually eaten scooped up with red rice. It's served at food stalls and small eateries across Bhutanese towns, including in Thimphu's markets.
Why it's made this way: Chilies grow easily in Bhutan's climate and are a dietary staple rather than a rare spice, while the cheese comes from the country's yak- and cattle-herding traditions — together they combine into a dish that's simple, filling, and reflects what's actually grown locally.
Roughly what's in it
380kcal
14gprotein
25gcarbs
26gfat
Estimated per typical street-vendor portion — not lab-tested.
More from Bhutan
Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries.
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Photo credits.