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Overview

Ema Datshi

Ema Datshi — Bhutanese Chilli Cheese Stew, Hemadatsi, National Dish of Bhutan

Ema datshi is Bhutan's national dish, and it is not shy: whole green chillies are the vegetable, simmered in water with onion and tomato until soft, then folded into melting cheese that turns into a rich, fiery sauce. It is eaten with red rice at nearly every Bhutanese meal. One serving is about 250 g.

In Bhutan, chillies are not a seasoning — they are a vegetable, and ema datshi, meaning chilli cheese, is the dish that proves it. Families across the Himalayan kingdom eat it with red rice at almost every meal, and it is widely recognised as the national dish of Bhutan, a symbol of a cuisine built on chillies, cheese and mountain rice.

Pairs well with: Bhutanese red rice and butter tea

Provenance

Bhutan flag Bhutan

Bhutanese National Dish

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

40m

15m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

251 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 250 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Family dinners, festive meals, cold-weather dinners, everyday dinner Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Vegetables Cheese Spicy Vegetarian
Ema datshi, green chillies in melted cheese sauce, served with red rice

Bhutanese National Dish

Photo: ShashiBellamkonda, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

Cooked the traditional way: chillies simmered in water, then cheese melted in off the boil.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 40m
P

Prep Stage: Chillies Sliced, Cheese Crumbled

15 Mins • Knife & Bowl

Slice the green chillies into strips, slice the onion and garlic, chop the tomato and crumble the feta. Everything goes into one pot, so have it all ready before the heat goes on.

Maestro Tip: Wear gloves when handling a big pile of chillies — the heat stays on your hands long after you wash them.

  1. 1

    Simmer the chillies and onion

    12 Mins Medium heat, simmer about 95°C (200°F)

    Put the chillies, onion, tomato, garlic and 250 ml water in a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes until the chillies are soft and the onion is translucent.

    Do not fry anything first — ema datshi is a simmered dish, and the water becomes the sauce.

    Done when: Chillies soft and wilted, onion translucent.

  2. 2

    Add the butter

    2 Mins Medium heat, about 95°C (200°F)

    Stir in the butter and let it melt into the pot, stirring gently so the chillies stay in strips.

    The butter rounds off the heat and helps the cheese melt smoothly.

    Done when: Butter fully melted, pot glossy.

  3. 3

    Melt in the cheese

    8 Mins Low heat, about 85°C (185°F)

    Lower the heat, add the crumbled feta a handful at a time, and stir gently until it melts into a thick, creamy sauce that coats the chillies. Do not let it boil.

    Low heat is essential — boiling makes the cheese grainy and oily.

    Done when: Thick creamy sauce coating every chilli strip.

  4. 4

    Taste and rest

    3 Mins Off the heat, covered, about 85°C (185°F)

    Taste and add the salt only if needed — feta is usually salty enough on its own. Rest, covered, for 3 minutes so the sauce settles, then serve hot with red rice.

    Always taste before salting; you cannot take salt out of a cheese sauce.

    Done when: Sauce creamy and settled, heat balanced, ready to serve.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Spoon the ema datshi into bowls over a mound of hot red rice, letting the cheese sauce run down into the grains — that first spoonful should be fiery, creamy and comforting all at once.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

251

kcal / serving

Protein

11g

Complete AA

Carbs

14g

Complex

Fats

18g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 250 g)
Energy251 kcal
Protein11 g
Carbohydrates14 g
Fat18 g
Fibre2.0 g
Sugar8.1 g
Sodium803 mg
Per 100g
Energy100 kcal
Protein4.5 g
Carbohydrates5.7 g
Fat7 g
Fibre0.8 g
Sugar3.2 g
Sodium321 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Provides calcium from the cheese, vitamin C from the chillies and tomato, and vitamin A from the chillies.

Chilli Heat

Chillies contain capsaicin, the compound behind their heat, and they add colour and flavour without adding fat.

Calcium Rich

The melted cheese provides calcium, which supports normal bone and teeth maintenance.

Simple and Honest

Five main ingredients, one pot, no processed sauces — a dish that shows how little a great meal needs.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Bhutanese Red Rice

The essential partner — nutty red rice soaks up the cheese sauce and tames the chilli heat.

Jasha Maru

A spoonful of Bhutanese chicken stew alongside makes a fuller Himalayan dinner.

Vegetables

Stir-Fried Greens

Simple greens add freshness and crunch against the rich, soft stew.

Drinks

Butter Tea (Suja)

Salty butter tea is the traditional drink with ema datshi and warms the whole meal.

Full Menus

Bhutanese Dinner Menu

Serve ema datshi as the centre of a Bhutanese meal with red rice, greens and jasha maru.

Complete menu

Serve ema datshi as the centre of a Bhutanese dinner with a mound of red rice, stir-fried greens and a side of jasha maru.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Very Hot Chillies for Sensitive Stomachs

This dish is genuinely fiery — people with stomach ulcers or acid reflux should take a small portion or use milder peppers. This is general food guidance, not medical advice.

Boiling the Cheese

Boiling the sauce after the cheese goes in makes it grainy and oily, so keep the heat low.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsThe national dish of Bhutan — fiery and rich, best with plenty of red rice to balance the heat.
  • ChildrenVery spicy for most children; make a mild version with sweet peppers and just one chilli, and serve with lots of rice.
  • ElderlySoft and easy to eat, but the heat can be strong — use milder chillies and a smaller portion.
  • Pregnant womenChilli heat is fine for most, but it can worsen heartburn; keep the portion small and check with your clinician.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally fine in a moderate portion; very spicy food can sometimes unsettle a baby's stomach.
  • AthletesA warming, calcium-rich dish; add red rice generously for carbohydrate recovery.
  • Weight gainA good choice — the cheese and rice add energy easily.
  • Weight lossKeep the portion small and load the plate with red rice and greens rather than extra cheese sauce.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe stew itself is low in carbohydrate, but watch the rice portion and check with your clinician.
  • High blood pressureFeta is very salty — use a low-salt feta if you can and add no extra salt.
  • Kidney diseaseCheese is high in sodium and phosphorus — keep the portion small and ask your clinician.
  • GoutCheese is low in purines, but the dish is rich — enjoy in a modest portion.
  • Stomach issuesChillies can worsen reflux and gastritis; use mild peppers or skip this dish if you are sensitive.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseCheese and butter add saturated fat — enjoy this as an occasional dish with plenty of vegetables.
  • Fatty liverThe cheese sauce is rich in saturated fat, so keep portions small and balance with greens.
  • Food allergiesContains milk (dairy); the basic dish has no gluten, egg or nuts.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable for a dairy-free diet; ask your clinician or dietitian about a dairy-free cheese version.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in a covered container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Keeps 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Does not freeze well — the cheese sauce splits on thawing.
How to reheat
Reheat very gently in a covered pan on low heat until steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F); do not boil.
Freezing recommended
No — the cheese sauce separates when frozen and reheated.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, oily separation, or visible mould.

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