Bhutanese Kewa Datshi
Potatoes and cheese make the gentler cousin of ema datshi, still unmistakably Bhutanese in its chile-and-datshi logic.
About this dish
Kewa datshi means potato and cheese. It belongs to Bhutan’s datshi family of dishes, where local cheese forms a sauce around vegetables or chile. Compared with ema datshi, potatoes make this version milder and more substantial, though green chile is still a normal part of the pot.
Why this dish matters
Bhutan’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources eCookbook identifies kewa datshi as one of the country’s famous dishes and publishes a straightforward potato, onion, tomato, green chile and cheese method. Bhutan tourism resources similarly describe it as a popular, nourishing specialty and a milder relative of ema datshi. Imported cheese substitutions change the flavor, but the simmer-then-melt method remains accessible to home cooks.
Traditional datshi cheese is difficult to source outside Bhutan. A mix of farmer cheese, feta and mild melting cheese can approximate its tang and body but is still a substitute.
Preparation notes
Thin uniform pieces cook before the cheese is added.
The official-style method is closer to simmering than sautéing deeply.
Gentle heat keeps the sauce cohesive.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 2 to 4 green chiles, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
- 2 cups water, approximately
- 6 oz farmer cheese, feta or a blend with mild melting cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Chopped scallion or cilantro, optional
Method
- 1.Combine potatoes, onion, tomato, chiles, oil and enough water to almost cover the potatoes in a wide saucepan.
- 2.Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium-high heat 10–12 minutes.
- 3.Checkpoint: potatoes should be nearly tender but still hold their slices.
- 4.Scatter cheese over the pot, reduce heat and cover again for 3–5 minutes until melted.
- 5.Gently fold the cheese through the cooking liquid rather than stirring aggressively.
- 6.Simmer uncovered another 2–4 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the potatoes.
- 7.Taste for salt, rest 2 minutes and serve hot with Bhutanese red rice or steamed white rice.