Bhutanese Chicken Recipes

KEWA DATSHI (BHUTANESE DISH)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pot over medium heat; cook and stir chile peppers and garlic until golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir potatoes into onion mixture until potatoes are coated in oil.
• Pour water over potato mixture and season with chile pepper powder and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, adding more water if needed but keeping the gravy thick, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and sprinkle fresh cheese over the gravy; slowly stir until cheese melts and spreads evenly, about 5 minutes. Garnish dish with red pepper flakes.

CHICKEN BHUNA

Steps:

• To make the onion purée, bring a small pan of water to the boil and add half the roughly chopped onion. Boil until soft (about 10 mins), drain and puree with a hand blender or mini food processor.
• Heat a large saucepan on a high heat. Once it's hot add the oil and finely chopped onions and reduce to a low heat. Cook the onions slowly and gently until golden brown in colour, and season.
• Add the ginger and garlic purée, curry powder, turmeric, chilli powder and a splash of water to the pan of onions and stir in well. Fry for a couple of mins. Add the diced chicken thighs and stir in well.
• Mix the yogurt, tomato purée and onion purée together in a jug with 300ml water. Pour into the saucepan and mix well. Turn up the heat until the sauce begins to boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Finally, sprinkle in the garam masala and stir in well for the final 2 mins before serving.

CHICKEN THUKPA

Steps:

• Cut carrots, peppers and celery into julienne thin strips about 2 inch long (5 cm) and ¼ inch wide (0.5 cm). Measure out baby spinach and set aside.
• Cut leftover roast chicken into bite size pieces and set aside. You can also poach chicken breast or thighs in the broth at this step if you do not have leftover chicken.
• Heat chicken broth in a pot, add dry rice noodles and turn off heat. Leave 10 minutes until softened. Remove noodles from broth so they do not over-cook. Reserve broth.
• Make soup paste by combining garlic, ginger, hot chili pepper, cherry tomatoes, shallots, cilantro, ground cumin, ground turmeric, Szechwan pepper (timur), asafoetida powder and lime juice in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
• Heat oil in soup pot. Add soup paste and fry for 30 seconds or so. Pour in chicken broth and mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Add prepared vegetables and chicken and simmer five minutes or until carrots are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, divide rice noodles between bowls. Pour soup over and garnish with fresh cilantro.

BHUTANESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut chicken into small pieces.
• Place in a saucepan and add water and 2 tbspoon oil and bring to a boil. Add garlic, salt and ginger to taste.
• Lower heat slightly and boil for another 5 - 10 mins stirring occasionally. The dish should have some liquid when you're done.
• Garnish with cilantro.

EMA DATSHI

Steps:

• Heat a pan and add butter. Add the sliced onion, tomato and chillies. Give them a quick toss and the water. Season them with salt. Cover and cook until the peppers become tender.
• Turn off the flame and add the cheese and let it melt in the residual heat.
• Serve it over a bed of red or white rice.

BHUTANESE CHILE CHICKEN WITH RED RICE

Steps:

• Cook whole-grain red rice according to package directions in unsalted water.
• Cut the chicken into 2.5 cm (1") cubes and toss with cornstarch making sure all pieces are totally coated. If not, add a bit more cornstarch.
• Heat the canola/vegetable oil over medium heat in a non-stick wok or skillet. Cook chicken until pieces are browned on both sides and slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add 15 ml of sesame oil, sliced onions, minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add chopped peppers and sliced tomato wedges and cook another 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan and heat through. Season with soy sauce.
• Serve over cooked red rice on a heated serving platter.