Nothing can beat the taste of festive dishes. Why? Well, because these dishes are extra special, not just because of the ingredients but also because of the excitement and love around making them. And to help you make such festive and other amazing dishes right at home, unstumbled has come up with Chef’s Corner.
Chef’s Corner is unstumbled’s cozy culinary corner, where notable chefs share heartfelt recipes for you to make at home. In this article, we have Chef Choda Jamtsho, the executive Sous Chef at Six Senses Bhutan, teaching us how to make Khabzey. It is a festive snack specially prepared for the Bhutanese/Tibetan New Year, Losar in Bhutan, which will be celebrated on February 18, 2026. Check it out!
Classic Losar Special Recipe: Khabzey
About Six Senses Bhutan And Chef Choda Jamtsho
Six Senses Bhutan is known to offer a carbon-negative, premier space across five sustainably, uniquely designed lodges: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang. Every lodge offers high-end wellness experiences like spa treatments, hot-stone baths, farm-to-table dining, and more.
Chef Choda Jamsto is currently working as the executive Sous Chef at Six Senses Bhutan. A sous chef is the second-in-command in a professional kitchen who directly assists the Head Chef. This includes managing daily operations, ensuring quality control, supervising the staff, and also leading the team in the absence of the Head Chef. He specializes in sourcing farm-fresh produce for dishes blending Bhutanese, Asian, Indian, and Western cuisines.
What Is Losar? What Is Khabzey?
Losar is the Bhutanese or Tibetan New Year, and this year it is falling on February 18. It marks the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse according to the Tibetan calendar. This festival is one of the most unimportant festivals celebrated in Tibet. The celebrations involve three main days of festivities featuring prayers, gatherings, and cultural rituals. People clean their houses, visit temples, and share traditional dishes like guthuk and khabzey.
In Bhutan, Khabzey or Khapzey actually refers to traditional deep-fried cookies or biscuits. They are typically prepared during festive occasions like Tshechu and Losar. It is made from butter, sugar, and flour and is served hot and crispy. They come in various intricately designed sizes and shapes.
The common shapes include twisted styles and donkey ears. Khabzey are popular sweet snacks that are served during gatherings and celebrations. They are served with coffee or tea and are placed as a part of offerings in Buddhist temples on an altar.
Recipe: Khabzey
Without much ado, let’s go ahead and check out how you can make this festive special at home, the chef’s style.
Ingredients
- 1000g All-purpose flour
- 350gm Crystal sugar
- 300ml water
- 200g unsalted butter
- Oil for frying
Method
- First, boil water in a pan.
- Add butter and sugar until sugar dissolves.
- Now mix this water with the flour.
- Knead the dough until it gets smooth and soft.
- Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- Use a roller pin to flatten the dough (4inches high).
- Cut the dough and make different designs and shapes.
- After this, fry these dough pieces in hot oil until they become golden brown and crispy.
- Remove them from the pan and place them on tissue paper.
- Serve!
So, this February, make sure you try this delicious, cute, and easy recipe right at home. This iconic traditional recipe is perfect for bringing in a unique touch to your parties and celebrations. So make sure you try it and let us know!
