Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Bhutanese food recipes - Kewa Datshi (Potato with Cheese) and Phaksha Pa (Pork Curry)

Here I would like to share the recipes of the two Bhutanese dishes that I learn recently from my Bhutanese friends. Both dishes are very simple to make and can be whipped everywhere in the country, as the ingredients used are very easy to find, almost everywhere.

Kewa Datshi (Potato with Cheese)

Kewa Datshi or Bhutanese dish - Potato with cheese and chili

Ingredients:
- 4-6 pcs of potatoes (medium size)
- 1 pc of tomato
- 1 pc of white/red onion or shallot
- 1 clove of garlic (optional)
- 4-6 fresh red and/or green chili / dried chillies (whatever available at your country)
- 1-1.5 pcs of Datshi (Bhutanese handmade cheese) or 2 pcs of slice cheese


Ingredients required for Kewa Datshi or Potato with Cheese

Preparations:
1. Peel and wash the potato. Slice it round and thin.
2. Slice the tomato and onion.
3. Chop the garlic.
4. Wash and cut the dried chili into two or slice the fresh chili. Removal of the seed is optional.
5. Pour 2 cups of water into the pot.
6. Fill the sliced potatoes on it.
7. Pour some cooking oil and salt.
8. Put the sliced tomato, onion, garlic and chili on top of the potato, and let it boil. Ensure the water isn't too much or too little.
9. When the potato gets soften, add the mashed Datshi or slice cheese on top of it. Do not mix it. Just let it boil, and it's ready to eat.

Phak Sha Pa (Pork with Chili)

Phak Sha Pa - Bhutanese Pork with Chili :)

 Ingredients:
- 500 g of pork belly
- 1 pc of tomato
- 1 pc of white/red onion or shallot
- 1 clove of garlic (optional)
- 4-6 fresh red and/or green chili / dried chillies (whatever available at your country)
- Spring onion (optional)

 Preparations:
1, Wash the pork belly and slice it thinly about 2 inches width.
2. Slice the tomato and onion.
3. Chop the garlic.
4. Wash and cut the dried chili into two or slice the fresh chili. Removal of the seed is optional.
5. Pour 1 cup of water into the pot.
6. Fill the sliced pork belly on it.
7. Pour little bit of cooking oil and salt.
8. Cover the pot and let it boil until the pork cooked and water slightly reduced. If you use the pressure cooker, open it after 2-3 whistles.
9. Add the sliced tomato, onion, garlic and chili on top of the meat, cover and let it boil until it gets dried.
10. Stir it well and add spring onion (slice into half) into the curry until it gets soften, and it's ready to eat.

The beauty of cooking the Bhutanese food is that you can adjust the ingredients as per your taste bud. For example, for the Phak Sha Pa, you can add ginger paste in it if you like, or garlic. And there is no right or no wrong on how you cook it. Whether you want to boil the onion with tomato first or you just dump all the ingredients together with the potato for the Kewa Datshi, it is all entirely up to you as long as it's cooked and tastes delicious at the end! :)

I've been practicing these past one week on how to cook these two dishes with a guidance of Bhutanese who personally came to my house (read here), entered into my kitchen, and produced the more or less the same results. I was seeking advice from other Bhutanese staying oversea too to ensure that the steps I follow were correct. But again, like I said above, the steps were kind of flexible, and so do the ingredients. 

My teacher number 2 :D

Next time I will explore to cook other type of dish and if you want to send me recipes of other delicious Bhutanese food, please send it to my email or message me through the Google+ or Facebook and I'd love to try and practice it until I have enough confident to share the recipes with all of you.

Bhutanese dishes - Rice with Kewa Datshi, Phak Sha Pag and egg with cheese - Enjoy! :)

Voila!!! Serve the two dishes above with a steamed white/red rice and Bon Appetit!!!

Bhutanese Whiskey - K5

Accompany the dishes with K5!!!

Wonderful dinner serving Bhutanese and Singaporean food altogether!!! :)

And you can hold a wonderful dinner gathering with your fellow Bhutanese and other nationalities friends at your humble house!!! :)

It uses such simple ingredients and very easy to make. If I can do it, so you do!!! Zhey go bay gay!!! Let's cook, happy trying, and good luck!!! :)

33 comments:

  1. Ha-ha! Someone couldn't resist K5 for long!

    I think I can look for a cook-book somewhere which will enlighten more of your passion. Who is coming that side next? Tell me and you have the book.

    :) Yummy yummy yummy

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    1. Hahaha.... Actually I opened it so that I could let my Indonesia friends to try since we were having Bhutanese food there :D

      It's Okla Luzee, I don't need recipe book. I prefer to get personal recipe where the food taste is proven to be very very good! ;)

      Btw, could you teach me how to make chili cop??? That's my other favorite food in Bhutan!!! ^^

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  2. That's great job of you, you are wakeing hard on your passion. Your preparation looks much Yumm! Keep cooking charo���� hope our Liana can try from your recepi.

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    1. Thank you la Charo! Btw I haven't received the egg curry recipe from you or Karma :D:D

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    2. I see, did you mean that fried egg? That how my mom used to make like that as I used to like that way. Any if meant that one I will DM you.

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    3. Inn la Charo.... :) Kadinche la!

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  3. Thanks for sharing your love for Bhutan.

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    1. It's my pleasure la Choki! Hope you can cook Kewa Datshi and other Bhutanese curry in Vienna and share it with your friends! Have a wonderful time there! :)

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  4. Yet another reason for which you are more Bhutanese than I am. You make me hide my tails between my legs.You know what I mean; I am afraid that I ain't that good.

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    1. Hehe... Don't be afraid! Practice makes perfect! Just like when you train your football :) I know many Bhutanese guys that can cook very well! Otherwise, just find a wife who can cook very well too! Hahaha.... ^^

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  5. Ha..ha.. thank you for letting me play master chef at your kitchen.. Was good. :P

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    1. Your Mom and Dad must be very proud of you and next time show them your talent!!! ;)

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  6. Oh my! Seriously,you're a pro.

    Looks yum yum...(Drool :P)i hope i get to taste these food from you :).

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    1. Haha... No la, I'm still learning. I'm sure your cooking is still far more delicious than mine. I also hope to taste your curry one day too!!! ^^

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  7. Thanks for sharing recipes. Haha...i never tried cooking Phaksha Pa before. With the help of your recipes, I think I will try when I am alone (I trust your recipes but I don't trust my cooking skills). You are an incredible Bhutanese in disguise. Kudos to you (y) Take care :D

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    1. It's my pleasure Bumo! Please try and keep trying! When there is a will, there will be a way! And let me try it next time when I meet you in person! ^^

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  8. Ahh! Kewa Datsi! My favorite curry of all the curries in the World :D Nothing can replace this except for Beef Shakam. Otherwise, both are my favourite.

    I love to try other countries' food. And so, yesterday, I had Prawn for the first time ever in my life. It taste really good.

    As I write this, I am eating Shrimp chips :D

    Good luck with preparing other more different dishes. You are doing a very good job keeping with Bhutanese food :)


    Best Wishes!

    p,s, I will send you Lentil soup recipe that goes perfect with dried dishes.

    Leave me your email id on Instagram, I will mail it to you.

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    1. After so many years there you only tried prawn yesterday? Yalama! But it's never too late la ^^ Hope my recipe is approved haha... And I've left my email on your IG post. Will wait for your lentil soup recipe. Is it same with dhall no? My favorite too!!! ;)

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  9. Real incarnation of bhutanese in Singapore....:)

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  10. It was a night to remember...! Thanks for inviting us, Rima...

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    1. It's my pleasure Celipu! Hope you enjoyed! ^^

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  11. It reminded me of the movie, 'Julie & Julia'. Your energy and interest in Bhutanese cooking, and your love for Bhutanese is unbelievable. I wish I were able to be your teacher as well :)

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    1. Why not? You can send new your recipes too and I'll try it out! ^^ And perhaps next time when we meet again? ;)

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  12. U r really a Bhutanese master chef in Singapore..... lol! Thank u for your love for Bhutan foods.... U make a great cook. Keep it up, Rima. To prepare chilli chops is simple. U just need bigger-size chillies and besan flour (chick pea flour).
    1. Cut the chilli top-down on one side just enough to shake off the seeds.
    2. Mix the Besan flour in water (not too thin, not too thick.
    3. Put a pinch (s) of salt according to the amount of the mixture.
    4. Dip the chilli (one by one) into the mixture of Besan flour. The Besan flour must stick onto the chilli when u pull it out.
    5. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan (deep enough for the chilli to get soaked.)
    6. Fry the chillies one by one in the pan and when it turns somewhat red or changes its color, u need to take it out.
    7. U let it cool down for a while and it's ready to eat- all crispy and yummy.

    I think I got the recipe right.... This is how my wife prepares. Other friends, please correct me if I am wrong.

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    1. Wow! I'm amazed! You were literally not only reading my blog post, but also reading the comments. That's how you found out I was asking about the chili chops recipe!!!

      And here you even provide me with it! Thank you very much Amrith Sir! I think one of these days I need to go down to Mustafa at Little India to find the chick pea flour and other ingredients required to make Dhall. One of my Bhutanese friends has passed me her recipe for it ;)

      Once again, thank you so much for the recipe and please send my warm regards to your dear wife! :)

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  13. Thank u so much, Rima for that. Have fun with Bhutanese foods out there.... Surely I will let my wife know your happiness....

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  14. Wow! I'm sharing this on my facebook group page 'YoYumYum' and I've added you as a member. Do feel free to share your recipes. :) <3

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  15. Whenever my wife is away, I survive with noodles. I read your recipe and I would love to try next time. Nice to go through your beautiful post

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    1. Wow, you can't cook? Can't believe it! I mean, most Bhutanese, men and women know how to cook, especially basic dishes like ema datshi and kewa datshi :D

      I hope you will success in cooking it la. Thank you for dropping by and leaving your comment! Have a wonderful day! :)

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