Chef-tested recipe
Bhutan’s iconic chilli-and-cheese dish, where fresh chillies are treated as the main vegetable and simmered with onion, tomato and datshi-style cheese.
Ema datshi is fundamental to Bhutanese cooking. The dish is intentionally chile-forward: the chillies are not merely seasoning. A mild, melting cheese creates the creamy sauce while the vegetables remain recognizable.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Cuisine
- Bhutanese
- Course
- Main Dish
- Best Served With
- Serve hot with Bhutanese red rice and other simple vegetable or meat dishes.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lidpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Wooden spoonpaid link
Ingredients
- 350 g long green chillies, split lengthwise
- 150 g onion, sliced
- 180 g tomato, cut into wedges
- 20 g garlic, sliced
- 250 ml water
- 250 g Bhutanese datshi or mild fresh melting cheese
- 25 g butter
- 5 g salt, to tastepaid link
- Steamed Bhutanese red rice, to servepaid link
Preparation Overview
Simmer chillies, onion, tomato and garlic briefly until tender, then add cheese and butter over gentle heat so the sauce becomes creamy without separating.
Method
-
Place chillies, onion, tomato, garlic, water and salt in a saucepan.
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Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until the chillies are tender but still hold their shape.
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Lower the heat. Add cheese in pieces and butter.
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Cover for 2 minutes to soften the cheese, then stir gently until a creamy sauce forms.
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Do not boil vigorously after adding the cheese.
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Taste for salt and serve immediately with red rice.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Choose long green chillies with a heat level you can comfortably eat as a vegetable.
- Keep the heat low once cheese is added.
- The sauce should coat the chillies rather than become a thin soup.
Tips and Variations
- Authentic Bhutanese datshi is ideal; otherwise use a mild cheese that melts without becoming stringy.
- Some home versions omit tomato or use very little.
- Red rice gives an earthy contrast to the rich cheese and chillies.
Storage
Best served freshly cooked. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days and reheat very gently.
Nutritional Value
Approximately 340 kcal, 17 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate and 23 g fat per serving, excluding rice.
Allergen Notes
Contains milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ema datshi extremely spicy?
It is chilli-forward by design, but the exact heat depends on the variety of green chilli used.
