Dinner in the Land of the Thunder Dragon

I had my first taste of the mouth-scorching heat of Bhutan's food on my first day in the country, and it came from an orange bottle in a dumplings bar. The bar is located in Paro, a small town on the river Paro, where the country's main airport is located. The first port of call is this one.

Paro town centre has a few streets lined with wooden shopfronts and cafes. There isn't much to the corner. The porch is large enough for a couple of people. The den is as cozy as a broom cupboard and has a hatch in the corner that opens onto the kitchen. The swing door isn't just for the people coming in and out, it's for everyone as well.

The menu isn't long. Momos, thuk Pa, and koka areoodle soups. One plate of beef momos and one potato is recommended by Ugyen Dendup. The best way to eat the dumplings is with a squeeze from the bottle. The ezay is even better than the momos, stoking my insides and leaving my lips swollen.

People travel to the land of the thunder dragon to find things. It's beauty. It's wonder. There is enlightenment. They go to its temples. They hike the mountains. They are fascinated by the green vault and the wildlife, including snow leopards and takins.

Bhutan's food culture is different from other Himalayan countries. The fiddlehead ferns, crow's beak, and shur kam are all unique. Red rice, dried meats, and dried pork belly are some of the most popular food items. It is because of wild marijuana that pork is so fat. Meat that is anything but lean is a result of the swine falling into long dopey slumbers.

The Bhutanese table has a generous use of chillies. During my stay in September, the harvest has just been completed and red peppers are everywhere, piled high in markets, dried on corrugated rooftops and hung from rafters. There are many dishes with red and green chillies in them. Both are on the menu at the hotels where I stay during a week-long trip.

Tshering Lhaden was the executive chef at the hotels when she returned to Bhutan after three years in Singapore. Tagliatelle with slow-braised yak is a fusion dish that tastes as tender and sweet as any red wine beef rag. Tshering makes it possible for me to try dishes like olatshey maru and jasha maru. She is pulling her punches when it comes to peppers. The food is mild sometimes. I was not a fan of the hot peppers. I was told that I should go for a bathup at a Paro haunt called Kuzu. I eat from a bowl with a lot of power. The intense heat of green chillies, the deep burn of red chili powder, and the numbing bitterness of Sichuan pepper is what makes the dish so exciting.

The national dish of Bhutan is ema datshi, and it pairs large green chillies with cheese. If you've ever eaten hot peppers with melted cheese on pizza, it will feel like a return to your childhood. In Bhutan, cheese is very popular. Locals chew hardened and smoked cubes of it on the street. If you are careless, it will break your teeth. Every combination includes cheese melted with a variety of vegetables.

After a short hike along the valley from the most beautiful fort-monastery, we lunch at Happiness Field Village Homestay, which you can access via a chain linked suspension bridge over rapids. Visitors can either stay in the farmhouse or camp on the grounds. When we arrive, she is preparing a number of dishes, including braised dry pork with radish and chillies, gondo datShi, and kewa datShi. She uses a lot of farm-churned butter, slices of potato, and wheels of cheese. Everything is wonderful. I love the fresh chilli salad, which is zingy and delicious. The volume goes up when you eat.

I enjoy a break from traditional cuisine at the food court in the capital Thiumpu. There are youth volunteers in orange uniforms running the court. They are part of the De-suung programme started by the King in 2011. Disaster relief recruits were called on to assist hospitals, schools and rural communities. The King instituted the De-suung Skilling programme last year in order to address youth unemployment. They sell burgers, pizza, ramen, Hong Kong style waffles and slurpies at Flavours.

Babesa Village Restaurant is a popular eatery about 6 km from the center and is home to a 600-year old traditional home. You sit on the cushions at the tables in the old kitchen. There is an original mud oven in the corner, a huge rolled-up bamboo mat hanging from the ceiling, and other historic artifacts. Goep paa and fried chimpa are both made with cow tripe. These are the best bowls of offal I have ever eaten.

The Dochu La mountain pass is known for its sacred Buddhist shrines and a fertility temple dedicated to a Tibetan saint. I have seen a lot of phalluses throughout my trip. They are believed to ward off bad spirits. On my last day, I trek up to Taktsang "Tiger's Nest" monastery, perched on the side of a cliff, and I am moved to tears.

I want to try two local specialties before leaving Bhutan. The first is a dish called yak hide, which is prepared with pepper, chili, and Coriander. I was expecting hardened, hairy scraps, but what I found was translucent strips that were spicy and soft. One of the many varieties of mushrooms Bhutan is renowned for is chanterelle. The most coveted are cordyceps. The yak herders and other mountain people who are allowed to harvest it make a lot of money from it.

It was recommended.

At Bhutan's National Museum, I was horrified to find out that cordyceps are actually dead caterpillar overrun with fungus, which causes it to grow into a ghost moths. It's thought that cordyceps boost immunity and libido. A bunch of ara is brought to me by someone. It appears to be dead. The taste is like a wet twig. I think I'll stick to the chillies.

The author was a guest at the two hotels and stayed for six nights.

There is a person by the name ofajesh34.