One of the biggest joys of traveling is discovering new flavors. Ama Leki, our homestay owner at Sakteng served us a traditional Brokpa dish which she said people don’t usually eat anymore.
Cho la for Breakfast
Cho la is a soft buckwheat dough served with a runny ezay (chili paste) & known to be a staple highland dish.
The texture is similar to a Dengo but I found this to be very soft and chewy compared to the Dengo.
Besides the taste it was also quite fascinating watching Ama Leki prepare the dish at lightning speed.
How it’s Cooked
She first mixes buckwheat powder and warm water and stirs the mixture in a pot on the bukhari stove. Watching her strenuously mix the dough made my hand hurt. “You have to keep stirring the dough in the pot and pour water until you get this soft texture,” she says.
The dought is pounded until it turns into this chewy soft mixture in the pot. Then she takes out an old traditional motor and pestle and mixes chili powder, bit of cheese, pepper and onion and tomatoes. But unlike the traditional ezey mix, she pour water into the mix and turns it into a runny mixture. Most Bhutanese are not used to that.
But when she pours the liquid ezey over the dough. It all comes together nicely in a flavour I had never tasted before. The dough basks in the intense flavor of the ezey and blends beautifully as you scoop the first bite. What a healthy way to start the day no? I never knew ezey can be eaten like this too. Would you want to try this in Sakteng?