Eating in Bhutan

Today was my partner, Annette's last day at JDWNRH (I still have a week left at the hospital).  Our local patrons, Dr. Tashi, a surgical oncologist and Dr. Euygen, a gynecologic oncologist took us out to dinner at the Folk Heritage Museum.  The museum is a restored three story, rammed earth and timber building replicating a traditional farm house and furnished as it would have been about a century ago.  The meal contained all of the traditional Bhutanese dishes, and I do mean ALL (I think I am going to pop!). 

We started out with traditional butter tea and zao (fried rice) and sip (fried, beaten corn), both eaten with the fingers.  This was accompanied with warm Bhutanese wine (something like Saki).  We were properly instructed to dip or fingers in the wine and throw some over our shoulders for the gods.  We then had some cucumber slices and cheese, stir-fried beef liver, and of course, momos (a Bhutanese snack).  Momos ae small, steamed dumplings stuffed with meat or cheese which are dipped in chili paste and they are delicious. 

Did I say chilies? They are a major crop here and the mouth-scorching meals bring tears of joy to chili lovers,  I foolishly thought the above food was the entire meal.  Imagine my surprise when approximately 10 more dishes were brought out.  Included was the national dish - ema datse - green and red chilies prepared as a vegetable.. There was also phak sha  laphu (stewed pork with radish), white rice, sha huentseu (stewed beef with spinach), bja sha maroo (chicken in garlic and butter sauce), kewa datse (potatoes with cheese sauce), olo choto (literally "crow beak", a hooked shape broad bean), a salad with banana flowers in it, and a delicious flat bread served with honey.  And to top it all off - FIDDLE HEADS!  I felt right at home.  Desert was an herbal tea and orange slices.

What a feast!  The conversation was delightful, centering on various Bhutanese Buddhist traditional practices, many of which are a form of "tantric Buddhism".  We also discussed how physicians are trained in Bhutan - They have no medical school, so this as well as residencies and fellowships are generally outside the country.  The government pays for the training, so there are no large debts such as American physicians accumulate paying for their training, however, thee is pay back time which is such that many physicians spend most if not all of their careers working in the Bhutanese health system. 

All in all, a nice evening.