Method
- Heat butter in a heavy pot. Add onion; cook 5 minutes.
- Add garlic; stir 60 seconds. Add slit green chilies; stir 30 seconds.
- Add potato slices; toss to coat in butter.
- Add water and salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes — potatoes should be tender.
- Crumble in yak cheese; stir gently to melt. The sauce should turn creamy.
- Garnish with cilantro. Serve with red rice.
Common questions
Can Kewa Datshi be made ahead?
Kewa Datshi is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 30 minutes.
Is Kewa Datshi spicy?
Kewa Datshi as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Kewa Datshi vegetarian or gluten-free?
Kewa Datshi is suitable for vegetarian (and vegan if dairy is omitted) diets.
How hard is Kewa Datshi to make at home?
Kewa Datshi is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 45 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Kewa Datshi be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Kewa datshi is the milder cousin of ema datshi — uses potatoes as the vegetable rather than chilies. The dish is associated with Bhutanese family meals; vegetarian Bhutanese eat kewa datshi as their main curry.
