Sauces & basics

Dhay mey (fermented chilli and rice paste)

A paste of fermented chillies and rice with a tangy, very spicy taste, used as a condiment with most Bhutanese meals. It keeps for several weeks in the fridge.

20 min
4 servings
Easy
Budget-friendly
🇧🇹 Bhutan

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Ingredients

200 g Fresh red chillies
100 g Cooled cooked rice
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Water

Optional extras

2 Garlic cloves

Nutrition facts

59 kcal per serving

Protein: 1.7 g
Carbohydrates: 11.8 g
Fat: 0.3 g
of which saturated fat: 0 g
Fiber: 1 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

Wash the chillies, remove the stems and roughly chop them.
In a blender, mix the chillies, cooled rice, salt and water until you get a smooth paste.
Transfer the paste to a clean jar, press it down and close the lid without screwing it fully shut.
Leave to ferment at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, checking each day that the paste stays covered by its brine.
Once the paste is nicely tangy, close the jar tightly and keep it in the fridge, where it will last several weeks.