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Bhutan’s Food & drinks
Watching what you eat and drink is always the best remedy. Don’t use ice cubes and don’t drink tap water, it is best to drink bottled water, opened at the spot. If you can’t buy bottled water, then boil the water for at least 5 minutes. Be cautious with salads and food from a roadside shed, and make sure food is well heated before consumption. If you have diarrhea, use Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS).
Bhutanese food is simple and rustic, based on the limited ingredients that can be grown in the challenging environment of the Himalayas. The core of Bhutanese cooking is rice, both white rice and red rice,a nutty flavored variety grown for centuries in the Bhutanese hills but many farmers also raise buckwheat and maize. Chilli arrived by way of India and China, and it adds pinch to many Bhutanese dishes.
Chicken, eggs and dried yak meat are popular sources of protein, as is datsi,traditional unpasteurized cheese made from cow’s milk, which is melted into soups and stew. Tibetan staples such as momos, wheat-flour dumplings stuffed with pork, beef, vegetables or cheese are commonplace and many dishes feature apples, asparagus and wild mushroom from hills. Tibetan style tea with salt and butter is sipped everywhere in Bhutan.
Datsi ; Cow’s milk cheese, often served in a spicy stew with red chilies ( ema datsi).
Tshoem: A spicy curry ,ade with beef and mushrooms.
Eue Chum; Bhutanese red rice, a nutty flavored variety unique to Bhutan.
Phaksha Paa: Pork cooked with fiery red chillies.
Shakam; Dried beef, often served in a spicy stew with red chilli and cheese, and tomato.
Hoentoe: Buckwheat dumpling from Haa, stuffed with turnip leaves, chilli and cheese.
Jasha Maru; Spicy minced chicken with garlic, ginger, tomato, and green chilli.
Goep: Tripe, often stewed with chilli.
Ara: A rough spirit distilled from fermented rice.
Chang; Local beer, cereal based and generally home made.
Just like the many different landscapes,Bhutanese cuisine is just as varied and splendid and every region knows its own specialty. Dairy foods, in particular butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are very popular. A lot of meat and poultry like chicken, pork,beef, goat, mutton and yak is consumed, as well as fish. These are usually served in the form of stews (tshoem), with in it a wide variety of fresh vegetables and spices like cardamom, ginger, caraway and turmeric. All meals are accompanied by white rice (ha chum) or pink-red rice (eue chum), which is steamed or boiled. Besides rice also buckwheat and maize are used.
If there’s one thing typical for Bhutanese cuisine, it is that the Bhutanese love it spicy! Chillies are not considered to be a seasoning, but a true and valuable vegetable. Therefore traditional Bhutanese food is lavishly spiced with dried or fresh red and green chillies. How can it be any other way than that Bhutan’s favorite ingredient is processed in its national dish? While in Bhutan, you ought to try the national dish of Ema-Datsi, consisting of ema (chilli) cooked in datsi (cheese). Everybody has their own interpretations of this recipe and it will excite your senses for sure!
Bhutanese peppers.
If you don’t like it so spicy, don’t be worried. Most of Bhutan’s professional chefs take into account the Western less spicy taste. You can choose from Continental to Chinese, and from Bhutanese to Tibetan and Indian cuisine. Most hotels offer dinner in buffet style.
Although(sweet milk) tea is a popular beverage in Bhutan, most people prefer Sura. This salted butter tea is served on all social occasions. Regarding water,you should better not drink tap water, but choose mineral water. During trekking the water is boiled and therefore safe to drink. Regarding alcohol,the chang (local beer) and arra (a spirit distilled from rice, maize, wheat or barley) are common and very much favored.They are easily available in bars, except on Tuesday (dry day). The legal drinking age is 18 years and above. Doma (betel nut) is offered as a customary gesture of greeting. Since 2004 Bhutan is the world’s only country where public smoking is prohibited. If you’re a smoker, you’re allowed however to import tobacco to use indoors, but you have to pay an import tax of 100%.
Tip: when you’re offered food, you can say “meshu meshu“, covering your mouth with the hands in refusal according to Bhutanese manners, and then give in on the second or third offer
PEOPLE
Bhutanese people can be generally categorized into three main ethnic groups. The Tshanglas, Ngalops and the Lhotshampas.The other minority groups are the Bumthaps and the Khengpas of Central Bhutan, the Kurtoeps in Lhuentse, the Brokpas and the Bramis of Merak and Sakteng in eastern Bhutan, the Doyas of Samtse and finally the Monpas of Rukha villages in WangduePhodrang. Together the multi ethnic Bhutanese population number just over 716,896 (2012).
Tshanglas: The Tshanglas or the Sharchops as they are commonly known, are considered the aboriginal inhabitants of eastern Bhutan. Tshanglasare according to historians, the descendants of Lord Brahma and speak Tshanglakha. They are commonly inhabitants of Mongar, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Pema Gasthel and Samdrup Jongkhar. Besides cultivation of maize, rice, wheat, barley and vegetables, the Tshanglas also rear domestic animals to supplement their living. Weaving is a popular occupation among their women and they produce beautiful fabrics mainly of silk and raw silk.
Ngalops: The Ngalops who have settled mostly in the six regions of western Bhutan are of Tibetan origin. They speak Ngalopkha, a polished version of Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. Agriculture is their main livelihood. They cultivate cereals such as rice, wheat, barley and maize along with a variety of other crops. In the regions of Thimphu and Paro apples are also cultivated as a cash crop. They are known for Lozeys, or ornamental speech and for Zheys, dances that are unique to the Ngalops.
Lhotshampas: The Lhotshampashave settled in the southern foothills of the country. It is believed that they migrated from Nepal in the beginning of the 19th century, attracted by the employment opportunities provided by the many constructions works taking place in the kingdom. They speak Lhotshamkha (Nepali) and practice Hinduism. Their society can be broken into various lineages such as the Bhawans, Chhetris, Rai’s, Limbus, Tamangs, Gurungs, and the lLepchas. Nowadays they are mainly employed in agriculture and cultivate cash crops like ginger, cardamom and oranges.
The Bumthaps, Mangdeps and Khengpas: The people who speak Bumtapkha, Mangdepkha and khengkha respectively inhabit the central areas of Bhutan. The Bumthaps cultivate buck wheat, potatoes and vegetables. A section of this population also rear yaks and sheep and produce fabrics of wool and yak hair. The Mangdeps depend on cultivation of rice, wheat, maize, vegetables, etc besides rearing domestic animals. The khengpas are also dependent on agriculture much like the Mangdeps, however, they are also known for the bamboo and cane craft.
Kurtoeps: Kurtoeps inhabit the eastern part of the country. Specifically the district of Lhuentse and the villages are found spread along the banks of Kurichu. Khoma women are expert weavers and are known for their skill in weaving the grandiose Kushithara.
The Brokpas and the Bramis: The Brokpas and the Bramis are a semi nomadic community. They are settled in the two villages of Merak and Sakteng in eastern Bhutan. They mostly depend on yaks and sheep for their livelihood and do not typically grow crops due to the high altitude zones they inhabit. They speak a different dialect and have their own unique dress that is made of yak hair and sheep wool. They are also experts in cane and bamboo crafts.
The Layaps: To the extreme north are the Layaps who speak layapkha. Like the Brokpas, they are semi-nomadic and their livelihood is dependent upon yaks and sheep. They use the products of their herd animals to barter rice, salt and other consumables with the people of WangduePhodrang and Punakha.
The Doyas: A tribal community that has settled mostly in southern Bhutan. They are considered the aboriginal inhabitants of western and central Bhutan, who over the years migrated to and settled in the present areas in Dorokha. They have their own unique dialect and style of dress.
Monpas: The Monpas are a small community in Rukha under WangduePhodrang. Together with the Doyas they are also considered the original settlers of central Bhutan. They have their own unique dialect but it is unfortunately slowly dying out as they are now being absorbed into the main stream Bhutanese society.