Mini Research Studies – A Comparative Study of Ema Datshi preparation
A Comparative Study of Ema Datshi Preparation and Consumption among Different Households in Bhutan and their Perceptions in its significance
Ema Datshi, the national dish of Bhutan, is a delicious spicy stew made of chilli peppers, onions and locally produced yak cheese.
The team divided their research into several topics:
- Cultural values and significances: This included the statement whereby the respondents talk about/perceive the significances of ema datshi in terms of cultural and traditional values attached to it,
- Health knowledge: Statements that suggested contradicting perceived knowledge of health issues associated to consuming allergies,
- Ema datshi preparation: This included the process/method of preparing ema datshi and the role of gender in the preparation (whether the husband or wife prepares it),
- Socio-economic status: It included the statements and observation notes on the consumption pattern of middle class family, different ethnicity and marital status.
The teams used two different qualitative research methodologies – semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The participants were from different regions and with different socio-economic status: 3 Rural Sharchop families from Trongsa, 3 Urban middle class Sharchop families from Thimphu, 3 Urban middle class Lhotsham families from Thimphu and 3 single working persons from Paro.
Outcomes:
The recurrent opinion that was shared by the respondents was that the ema datshi has significant contribution to strengthening Bhutanese identity and is one of the integral parts of Bhutanese culinary culture. Preparation of the dish has changed over time, which is due to different factors, such as difference in the age group, preferences, and availability of ingredients. Despite the improvement of socio-economic status and availability of other cuisines and ingredients, respondents feel that Bhutanese continue to consume ema datshi on a daily basis. Although all the respondents claimed that it was easy and quick to prepare ema datshi, through observation we discovered that in most families only the females (wives) prepared the dish. However, during festivals and on occasions males were observed preparing it as well.
Experiences from ToT while working with the team
It was a good experience having opportunity to work with academics from other colleges. It gave all of us a way of knowing each other both professionally and personally. This also encouraged us for future collaborative projects. Needless to say, we learned a lot from each other during the mini-research project. It was a good experience with a mixture of both senior faculty and few younger ones discussing and working together.
