Around lunchtime, while we were driving, I asked my guests what they wanted for lunch. They confidently said, “We want to try a Bhutanese dish.”
I suggested, “How about ema datsi? It's made with chilies and cheese.” They seemed concerned about the spiciness, so I reassured them: “It's not as spicy as you'd think. We use Bhutanese chilies, which are bigger and less spicy — just a bit hotter than capsicum. Plus, the cheese helps tone down the heat.”
Then I told them something that made them laugh: “We Bhutanese actually import Indian chilies because ours aren't spicy enough to satisfy our craving for heat. At one point, chilies were more expensive than meat! But due to high chemical content, the government had to ban them, and prices shot up. People even started smuggling chilies!”
They burst out laughing. “We've heard of drug smuggling — but chilli smuggling is a first!”
I can't help but think our ancestors were a bit lazy when it came to cooking. There's no real technique in most traditional dishes — just boiling or frying everything. Maybe it's because they were all farmers back then. And since most of them raised cattle, they'd throw cheese into everything, whether it's veg or non-veg. Even in salads.
It feels like their motto was: “Just add cheese, and it's done.” Kind of like how the Chinese add MSG to everything.