Kewa Datshi Potatoes (Cheese And Chili) Recipe

If Ema Datshi is the fiery heart of Bhutanese cuisine, then Kewa Datshi is its gentler, more comforting soul. This beloved vegetarian dish pairs tender potatoes with melted local cheese and a spicy kick of chillies — a combination so satisfying that it appears on tables across Bhutan at lunch and dinner alike. The name says it all: kewa means potato, datshi means cheese. Simple ingredients, masterful balance, and the kind of warmth that only mountain food can deliver.

Ingredients

5 medium-sized potatoes, chopped · Chillies as desired (fresh or dried) · 1 onion, chopped · 1 tomato, chopped (optional) · 3 garlic cloves, chopped · 1 ball of local cheese (or similar) · Salt to taste · 2 tablespoons oil

How to Make Kewa Datshi

Step 1: Add the chopped potatoes, salt, and oil into a pot with water. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes until the potatoes are medium-cooked — firm enough to hold their shape, soft enough to absorb the sauce.

Step 2: Add the chillies, chopped onion, and tomato. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes as the flavours begin to mingle.

Step 3: Add the chopped garlic and local cheese. Reduce to low heat and cook for 2 more minutes until the cheese melts into a rich, creamy sauce that coats every piece of potato.

Step 4: Taste, adjust salt if needed, and serve hot with white or red rice.

The Datshi Family

Kewa Datshi is just one member of a beloved family of Bhutanese “datshi” dishes — all built on the same foundation of local cheese paired with a star ingredient. Shamu Datshi combines mushrooms with cheese. Nakey Datshi pairs fiddlehead ferns with the same creamy sauce. And of course, Ema Datshi — the national dish — uses chillies as the main event. Each variation offers its own distinct character while sharing the comforting, hearty quality that makes Bhutanese cooking so deeply satisfying.

Whether you are cooking in a Bhutanese farmhouse kitchen or in your own home halfway around the world, Kewa Datshi brings the warmth of the Himalayas to your table with nothing more than potatoes, cheese, and a little fire.