Chef-tested recipe
Shamu datshi is a popular Bhutanese variation of the datshi tradition, using mushrooms with chillies and fresh cheese. Unlike a cream-based European mushroom sauce, its body comes from the cheese melting into the vegetable cooking liquid.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Cuisine
- Bhutanese
- Cooking Method
- Mushroom simmering and cheese finishing
- Best Served With
- Hot red rice or plain steamed rice
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 650 g fresh cultivated oyster and button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 160 g onion, thinly sliced
- 130 g mild green chillies, sliced
- 180 g Bhutanese datshi cheese, or 100 g feta and 80 g fresh farmer’s cheese
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 200 ml water
- 18 g garlic, minced
- 4 g salt, to taste paid link
- 2 g black pepper
- 15 g spring onion, optional garnish
Method
Prepare mushrooms. Wipe mushrooms clean and cut into similar-size pieces. Use cultivated edible mushrooms from reliable sources, not unidentified foraged specimens.
Soften aromatics. Put onion, garlic, chillies, mushrooms and water in a wide saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 8–10 minutes until mushrooms are softened.
Concentrate the juices. Continue simmering 3–5 minutes to reduce the mushroom liquid slightly. The dish should have some sauce, not dry-fried mushrooms.
Finish with cheese. Lower the heat. Add butter and crumbled cheese and stir gently just until melted and smooth. Avoid a hard boil.
Serve hot. Taste and season cautiously, scatter optional spring onion on top and serve with red rice.
Beginner Technique Notes
- A mixture of cultivated mushrooms provides varied texture without relying on wild species.
- Bhutanese datshi dishes usually celebrate chilli rather than hide it; moderate the heat according to diners.
- Excessive boiling after adding cheese can cause visible separation.
Substitutions
- Use only button mushrooms if oyster mushrooms are unavailable.
- A mild feta-ricotta blend is a home-kitchen approximation, not a precise substitute for datshi.
- A small quantity of red chilli may replace some green chilli.
Storage and Food Safety
Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly at 4°C or below and consume within 2 days. Reheat until fully hot, at least 75°C; stir gently to avoid splitting.
Serving Ideas
- Hot red rice or plain steamed rice
Allergen Notes
Milk. Check purchased cheeses for additional allergens.
