Kewa Datshi

From the Kingdom of Bhutan...

The love for Bhutanese cuisine started in me five years ago, there were more than a couple of Bhutanese students in each cooking session, unlike the local students, the Bhutanese, knew their foods and they are good in cooking, I have seen some students from Tamilnadu in the cooking session, wondering about the ingredients for Idli’s.

In a cooking session every student has to prepare a minimum of five dishes from any specific cuisine, but some table will have an extra Kewa Datshi, with boiled rice. That’s the time when my tongue experienced the spicy delight from the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Once we had Bhutanese cuisine as a section in our annual food fest, thanks to Sherabz, Tashi, Chumo, Norbu, Sonam, Pefo and Phuntsho for teaching me those wonderful dishes. They not only have a beautiful handwriting, their fingers can do magical shapes with Khabzey. The menu for the food fest was a real treat with Ba thup, Desi, Chum marp, Josha, Nosha, Nya Kam, Shamu Ema Datshi, Kewa Datshi, Hogay and those Magical Khabzey.

I still remember the purchase of dry fish for Nya Kam and leafy mushrooms for Shamu Ema Datshi. Guys you are specific with the ingredients, perhaps that’s the reason for your awesome dishes. But still, I didn’t know what went wrong with the beef for Nosha. How long we tried… How long we dried… in the end, all the five kilos were buried in the sand.

My indent always had a packet of Amul Cheese, which goes in Pefo’s and Sonam’s Kewa Datshi. The Amul Cheese indent may end this year, as there are no Bhutanese after Penjour and Dechen. Tough I know by heart how to prepare Kewa Datshi, I’m sure that I’ll miss Kewa Datshi from a Bhutanese hand.

And. More…to come …………….

Ba Thup: - A starter with flour, oil, salt, chili powder, stock, leeks and tasting powder?
Desi: - A sweet with rice, butter, sugar, saffron, cashews, raisins and coconut.
Jasha: - Chicken preparation
Nosha: - Dry beef Preparation
Nya Kam: - Dry fish preparation
Sha Mu Ema Datshi: - Mushroom and Capsicum Preparation
Hogay: - Cucumber, carrots and onion mixed with Chili, salt and pepper
Khabzey: - Flour, sugar, dalda, egg dough made into different shapes and deep fried
Kewa Datshi: - Potato and Cheese Preparation.