Hungry for Himalayan: Ema Datshi

So after watching Lewis Black's skewering of that dumbass Rick Perry and its reference to Bhutanese cuisine, I did a little web searching and found that there was a pretty much undisputed national dish called Ema Datshi.  You can find quite a few Google images around, but this one pretty much captures what I made


The dish is tasty, easy, vegetarian if you are so disposed, and can be made with easy to find ingredients save one, Bhutanese red rice (and yak cheese, but no one is REALLY going to try and buy yak cheese, right?).  But if you happen to have access to a store that caters to hippies, like I do, it shouldn't be hard to get.  The recipe could not be simpler.

For Two People

3 green banana peppers
3 long hot peppers (if you use orange or red ones, the heat levels will be color-coded!)
1 large onion
1 large ripe tomato
5 garlic cloves
4 tbsp. of butter
6 ounces of cheese.  I used Queso Cremita but use what you like, melty or not
1 rice cooker cup of Bhutanese red rice

Make the rice according to your rice cooker's directions.  Or use 1 part rice to 1 1/2 part water on the stove.

Grate the cheese coarsely.  Slice the peppers thickly lengthwise and remove seeds.  French the onion, coarsely chop the tomato and peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves. 

Put the peppers, onion, tomato, garlic and butter into a heavy pan and add water just below the top of the vegetables.  Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add the cheese and stir to melt/combine it with the other ingredients.  Cook until it's the consistency you like and serve on the rice.  Easy-peasy-Bhutanesey!