Shamu datshi makes the most of the wild-mushroom harvest of the Bhutanese forests — Bhutan is one of the world's most-forested countries (over 70% forest cover), and the autumn matsutake-mushroom export is a meaningful national economy. The dish reflects pre-modern Bhutanese foraging traditions adapted into the datshi framework.
Lift a forkful of shamu datshi — mushrooms glistening in pale cheese sauce, green chili rings, browned-butter onion. Bite: the mushroom is tender, juicy, deeply savory, with the wild-fungal aroma of the Bhutanese forest; the datshi cheese coats with mild dairy richness; the chili adds a clean green-pepper heat. The whole dish tastes of damp autumn earth and ridge-line woodsmoke. Over red rice, this is the Bhutanese forager's reward at the end of a foggy harvest morning.
Sautéing the onion in butter first develops aromatic depth that water-boiling can't. Adding mushrooms with just enough water to cover allows them to release their own juice into the broth, concentrating flavor. The datshi melts more smoothly here than in ema datshi because mushroom-water has more dissolved solids to stabilize the emulsion.
Variations
Shamu datshi with wild matsutake (premium Bhutanese version). With oyster mushroom (common). With shiitake (Chinese-Bhutanese fusion). With dried chhurpi cheese (deeper umami). With smoked sausage. Vegan version with cashew cream.
On the Palate
Where Shamu Datshi sits in the Bhutanese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
9 steps · 15 min active + 10 min waiting
- 122 min
Clean and slice 500 g mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, button, or a wild mix). For dried matsutake, soak 20 min first.
- 22 min
Slice 1 onion, smash 4 garlic cloves, slice 3 green chilies lengthwise.
- 31 min
Crumble 200 g fresh datshi cheese.
- 43 min
In a heavy pot, sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tbsp butter for 3 min over medium until softened.
- 52 min
Add the mushrooms, chilies, 1 tsp salt, and 250 ml water. Cover; bring to a simmer.
- 68 min
Simmer 8 min until mushrooms are tender and release their juices.
Watch outGive the mushrooms enough time to soften and release their juices — that mushroom-water is the broth the cheese melts into.
- 73 min
Add the crumbled datshi; swirl the pot to melt over 3 min. Don't stir hard.
Watch outMelt the cheese by swirling the pot, not stirring — stir it hard and the sauce breaks into greasy strings.
- 81 min
Stir in 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.
- 91 min
Serve hot over Bhutanese red rice.
