We are getting used to typical Bhutanese foods which usually include lots of burning hot chilies and a thick bland cheese sauce (datse). Local favorites (not necessarily OUR favorites) are:
ema datse- green and red chilies (prepared as a vegetable, not a seasoning) in cheese sauce- “burns three times” they like to say.
phak sha laphu- stewed pork fat with radish (as good as it sounds)
nakey- fern fronds- quite good if sautéed with oil and garlic, unfortunately usually served smothered in datse.
Chugo- rock hard dried yak cheese found hanging in strings in most general stores like big candy necklaces. Haven’t tried yet as we are quite fond of our teeth.
Best foods in our opinion:
Red rice- very flavorful once you learn how to cook it properly
Momos- Tibetan-style cheese/veg steamed dumplings, served with chili sauce of course
Bathup- fresh rice noodles in vegi gravy
A note about meat: it is against Buddhist law to slaughter animals, so most meat comes from India in unrefrigerated trucks. In winter, however yak meat may be available, though Will has not been able to find a good yak burger yet.
Regional specialties:
Central Bhutan- buckwheat noodles (puta) made through a wooden press. The girls got to help make on our trip to Bumthang
Eastern Bhutan- corn mixed with rice (gesasip)- a nice change of pace
fresh milk in recycled water bottles
Beverages:
Sweet milk tea (ngad-ja) – the girls are huge fans especially when the sugar is self-serve and cubed.
Salty butter tea (sud-ja)- if you think of it as soup broth instead of tea it isn’t half bad
Red Panda beer- brewed in Bumthang by a Swiss ex-pat, an unfiltered weissbier, delicious. Willy visited the brewery where it is available on tap.
Warm rice wine, fermented then butter and egg is added- hard to choke it down, but a must try in traditional gatherings. Interestingly, they serve it to post-partum women to give them nutrition and help them sleep.
Some of our “favorite” package foods are:
Soy chunks- dried soy that gets squishy when rehydrated, yum
Squid chips (in the ecomony size)
Wai Wai- think ramen noodle with a kick- great straight from the bag while trekking.
Mango Tang- better than pinnapple Tang, and if it is good enough for NASA it’s good enough for us!
Doma (not really a food, more of a habit)- chewed by most Bhutanese, consists of three key elements all rolled together.-areca catechu nut, peeled and split in half
-lime paste (the ash, not the fruit)
-betel leaf
it is bittersweet and mildly intoxicating.
Stains the mouth and teeth bright red and remains are spit out staining sidewalks bright red as well.
A very interesting primer on the local foods - I'm glad you've found a few that you like and may even miss when you return home. I'm not sure I would be as optimistic and enthusiastic as you all have been!
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