Bhutanese Food Culture

    Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Manzel and Faith D'Aluisio gives readers an insight of the diverse food cultures countries have using some examples, reporting on a family's weekly consumption and the food items they purchase. This week I will be reporting about Bhutan.

    Many people in Bhutan do not have a family name, and this family of 13 is not an exception. They live in Shingkhey, a village in central Bhutan. The father does not do much manual labor, as he is the village seer and mostly preaches Buddhism. The other family members split the workload, assigning some to the fields and the rest to household chores. 

    To learn more about Bhutanese cuisine, I read an article from Migrationology by Mark Wiens about his experience with the local dishes during his stay in Bhutan. According to his blog, many dishes include heavy use of chilies and cheese. One dish called ema datshi is literally cooked chilies with cheese, and can be seen on household tables nationwide. Both ingredients are locally sourced and are easily accessible, which may explain why they make such a frequent appearance in Bhutanese kitchens. Wiens also explains that the traditional way to eat in Bhutan is with your fingers from a wooden bowl. Modern cutlery have the possibility of harming the bowls, so using one's hands is preferred. 

    Going back to the family of 13, they consume five dollars and three cents worth of food a week. Fruits, vegetables and nuts take up the largest proportion, around 30% of the weekly expenditure. Considering that Bhutan is not exactly renowned for its fruits, it is reasonable that they would have to buy them instead of growing or gathering them. The family saves money by growing the crops themselves, which would amount to approximately 30$ if they purchased them locally. Although 30$ a week for groceries feeding a family of 13 might seem like an absurd deal to us foreigners, the Bhutanese live in a completely different environment, both economically and culturally. Only a third of the population have access to electricity, and the literacy rate is around half for men and less than 30% for women. The government implements high tariffs for traveling foreigners, so this low cost of living is just for locals.

    Bhutan's food culture is completely different to what I experience daily in Japan. Japan does use chilies in its food to add some kick, but unlike the Bhutanese who use the chilies whole, we tend to grind them and use them as a powder. Perhaps by using the entire chili it may contribute to preventing food loss, as well as getting more nutrients and flavor. Us Japanese also eat out often, going to McDonalds for a burger or to a Starbucks for a morning coffee. Even in the suburbs, a short drive can get you to local shopping malls. According to Hungry Planet, there are no McDonalds, Burger Kings, KFCs, or Pizza Huts in Bhutan. Even if they have locations there, it may be hard for locals to buy any, considering their income and cost of living. 

    This was the first time I had ever studied about Bhutan, so it was nice to have some insight into a country that I knew close to nothing about. I will very much consider going on a trip there someday, to experience their culture and their food in an environment that is drastically different to mine.