Although Bhutan is well known for its scenic beauty and spirituality, food is one of the major segments that attract tourists in a huge number. The Bhutanese cuisines have similarities with Tibetan, Chinese and Indian cuisines due to which it offers a diverse flavour. The people of Bhutan believe in simplicity which can be seen in their foods. Buckwheat, rice and vegetables with soup are the staple diet with limited use of spices and other toppings. Although people can find restaurant that serves international cuisines people tend to prefer the unique foods of Bhutan. Ema Datshi, Phaksha Paa, and Momo are some of the most consumed dishes in the country.
The national dish of Bhutan, Ema Datshi offers a unique flavour that is prepared using a combination of vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes and chillies along with cheese. Bhutanese cuisines include a wide variety of Datshi that is consumed all over the country.
Momo is one of the most consumed dishes of the Southeast Asian countries. It is wheat flour dumplings stuffed with a mixture of meat and vegetables generally consumed with a variety of sauces.
Jasha Maru is the Bhutanese version of chicken curry that includes both diced and shredded chicken cooked with garlic, onion, tomatoes, ginger chillies and other seasonal spices.
One of the most popular foods in Bhutanese cuisines, Phaksha Paa is made from big slices of pork meat that are cooked with dried chillies and vegetables generally served with rice.
Puta is a form of noodles made with buckwheat that shares similarities with the Japanese Soba noodles. These handmade noodles are cooked with onions, garlic, chillies and served with seasonal vegetables.
Ara is also recognized as the national beverage of Bhutan that offers a similar flavour to Ema Datshi. The drink is made from fermenting rice, buckwheat, millet and barley and is one of the most common drinks in Bhutan.
Butter tea also known as Bho Jha is a popular drink of Bhutanese people. The butter tea is prepared using pu-erh tea leaves that are later churned with salt and butter achieving a dark brown colour.
Thuep is a popular dish that is prepared during Losar, Tibetan New Year. The dish is a type of porridge that is prepared using rice, seasonal vegetables, paneer and local spices which is generally eaten with red rice.