Kewa Datshi

Ingredients

Main

• 600 gpotatoes, peeled and sliced
• 4green chillies, split lengthways
• 1onion, sliced
• 2garlic cloves, sliced

Cheese

• 200 gdatshi, Bhutanese cheese
• or 200 g feta, crumbled
• or a mixture of feta and mild cheddar

To cook

• 300 mlwater
• 50 gbutter
• 1 teaspoonsalt

Sometimes added

• 2tomatoes, chopped
• a handful of coriander

To serve

• red rice
• jaju or another mild dish

Directions

1. Use large green chillies rather than small hot ones. Remove the seeds for a milder dish. Peel them and slice them fairly thickly. Aim for about half a centimetre.
2. Slice the onion and the garlic. Put the water in a pot with the potato slices. Add the onion, garlic and salt. Bring it to a boil over a high heat.
3. Cover it and cook for about twelve minutes. The potato should be almost tender. Lay the split chillies over the potatoes.
4. Simmer for another four or five minutes. The chillies should soften but keep their shape. Add the tomatoes now if you are using them. Turn the heat right down to low.
5. Scatter the cheese over the top of the pot. Do not stir it in immediately. Cover the pot and leave it for three minutes. Add the butter and let it melt in. Do not let the pot boil after the cheese goes in.
6. Add a splash of water if it has tightened too far. Simmer it briefly if it seems too thin. Taste it and adjust the salt again.
7. Scatter coriander over the top if you like. Serving it is done hot with rice. Ladle the dish over the rice on the plate. It keeps for a day refrigerated.

Technique

• The datshi family includes ema datshi with chillies, kewa datshi with potato, shamu datshi with mushrooms and others.
• Ema datshi is generally regarded as the national dish of Bhutan.

Substitutions

• Feta is the usual substitute for datshi and is close in texture and saltiness.
• Adding a little mild cheddar or mozzarella gives more of the melting quality.

Variations

• Ema datshi replaces the potato with more chillies.
• Shamu datshi uses mushrooms instead.
• Some households add dried chillies for a smokier heat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kewa Datshi?

Kewa Datshi is a main from Bhutan: potatoes simmered with cheese and chilies.

How long does Kewa Datshi take to make?

Kewa Datshi takes 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Kewa Datshi?

Yes, within limits. Feta is the usual substitute for datshi and is close in texture and saltiness. Adding a little mild cheddar or mozzarella gives more of the melting quality.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kewa Datshi?

Use large green chillies rather than small hot ones. Remove the seeds for a milder dish. Peel them and slice them fairly thickly. Aim for about half a centimetre.