Suja-- The Buttered Tea

Suja -the butter tea

Tea and coffee have been part of every persons life and yet is the same with the Bhutanese people. Early morning the farmers drink it and during every celebration it is one of the most important drink apart from Ara (local home made wine). The Tibetan butter tea is different from Bhutanese butter tea though most of the ingredients are the same. This butter tea can be served with various side dish like:
  -> Sip and Zow: Dried, flattened grains typically eaten as a snack with tea. Gaza Sip is deep-fried, dried corn. Bhutanese Fritos.
->Desi
-> Khabzey
-> red rice

                                               Ingredients :

• Water
• Tea leaf *ask the grocery for making butter tea* in Bhutan
• salt
• Butter (cow or yak)

1. Take half the pot of water *depending on servings* not a water boiler rather needs to be boiled on the gas
2. To it add the tea leaf. Boil it until you get a brown colored water
3. Pour the hot boiling water into a local churner . to know what local churner looks like * http://www.connectingcultures.us/resources/artifacts/art_item.php?accno1=FOOD&accno2=BTN&accno3=301 *  Or you can do it in the pot itself.
4. Add salt and a lump of butter.
5. Use either the local churner or the Hand mixer. If you are doing it in the pot itself use Hand mixer. 
6. using hand mixer, mix it until you see a foam in the pot.

Once the foam is seen stop the mixture and then pour it in a cup and have it along with the side dish. have fun drinking this tea

Sha-Kam Pa --- Flavor of Dried Beef

Sha-Kam Pa

The Bhutanese Cuisine is considered to be spicy with lots of *Dried Red Chilies* but i prefer less spice which is not hot. But i love the cuisine i am served because of its uniqueness in taste and the method pf preparing. This Shakam pa *Dried Beef* culinary goes Awesome with the Bhutanese red rice. 

                     Ingredients:

•  sha kam (Dried beef)
• Red dried Chili
• Raddish
• Finely chopped onion
• Tomato *if u like*
• cooking oil  
• salt

                                                 Steps:

-> Cook 5-6 pieces of dried beef in an *pressure cooker* for about an 30 mins, to it add little amount of water *depends on the amount you are cooking the beef*

->when the beef is cooked properly, to it add Chili *de-seed if you prefer less hot* and not necessary to remove the chili stem.

->to the cooked beef add the finely chopped onion, cooking oil, and tomato *if you prefer*

-> chop the radish in circular shape and add it with the above mixture.

-> cook the ingredients along with beef  for about 15 mins and

-> when it is cooked add salt to taste (u can add the salt when you are mixing the ingredients)

*Its ready to be served* Enjoy with Red rice along with whey (Dachu)

Ema Datshi *The Chili Cheese Culinary*

Ema Datshi

Ema Datshi is among the most famous dishes in Bhutanese cuisine, recognized as a national dish of Bhutan. It is made from chili peppers and cheese; "ema" means "chili" and "datshi" means "cheese" in the Dzongkha language of Bhutan. Different varieties of chilies may be used: green chili, red chili, and/or white chili, which may be dried or fresh. The chilies are called "Sha ema"  *Chili from the East* 

The cheese in Ema Datse is home-made from the milk of cows or yaks. In the process, the fat is removed from the milk to make butter, and the remaining milk without fat is used to make the cheese. After the cheese is made, a watery milk is left over, which is used as a soup that can be taken with rice. No part of the milk is wasted. Bhutan‘s cuisine can best be described in one word ‘hot’The Bhutanese passion for chilli is a source of national pride. The national dish, ema datshi, a dish of ema (chilli) cooked in datshi(cheese), is the undisputed favourite for all Bhutanese and a growing number of foreigners. It accompanies every traditional meal, sometimes being the only dish, eaten with steamed rice, the staple.

Bhutanese chillies are larger and generally milder than the small, sharp chillies found in many Asian markets. In fact the Bhutanese consider the chilli a vegetable, not a spice, and is cooked in bulk. Vegetables and meat are also cooked with chilli and cheese, like kewa (potato) datshi which is a favourite, especially among children, and shamu (mushroom) datshi. Bhutanese cooking is simple. 

 Ingredients for Ema datshi (chilli and cheese)

½ lb. jalapeno peppers, or your choice of pepper (Red/Green/White)

½ lb. blue cheese, or cheese of your choice (best with Local Cheese)

2 TB organic canola oil

2 TB butter

2 tomatoes, cut in wedges, or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 bunch fresh cilantro, approx 12/ cup, chopped

1 tsp ground coriander

salt to taste

The Bhutanese Red Rice

The Bhutanese Red Rice

Bhutanese red rice is a medium-grain rice grown in the Kingdom of Bhutan in the eastern Himalayas. It is the staple rice of the Bhutanese people. Bhutanese red rice is a red japonica rice. It is semi-milled—some of the reddish bran is left on the rice. Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled brown rice. When cooked, the rice is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.
Perhaps the most unique rice we have ever encountered, Bhutanese Red Rice has been grown for thousands of years at 8,000 feet in the fertile soil of the Paro Valley, irrigated with 1,000-year-old glacier water rich in trace minerals. With more potassium than Gatorade, and a significant amount of magnesium, this quick-cooking whole grain is a nutritional and culinary superstar. It will entice you with its complex, nutty, earthy flavor, soft texture and beautiful russet color.
In Bhutan, Red Rice is frequently paired with mushrooms and hot chilies with lots of cheese which in-fact is the main culinary for the Bhutanese.  
Here's what the Red rice have in it

Cooks in only 20 minutes

Whole grain and heart healthy

High in minerals: magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and phosphorus

Good daily source of fiber and complex carbohydrates

Gluten- and wheat-free

Non-GMO

Vegan

This rice became available in the United States in the mid-1990s when Lotus Foods began importing it. It is currently the only agricultural product imported from Bhutan. And it is as well available in the UK  too