Bhutan can be called a country of contrasts, as it's quiet, calm, and polite people can't imagine their cuisine without spicy and hot chilli peppers.
It's hard to say when chilis gained such popularity in Bhutan, but today you can find them as a separate dish, as a main ingredient, or as a lavish seasoning in almost every local dish. The most popular one is Ema Datshi, which means "chilis with cheese." You definitely should try it, but pay special attention on how hot the meal should be served to you in a restaurant, otherwise even a huge bowl of water won't save your mouth.
Cultivation of chilli peppers in Bhutan is a very complicated process, which starts in winter and ends in the middle of autumn. Red chilis are harvested in September and October, and this is the period when many roofs in villages turn red. In order to dry peppers people place them on top of their houses, which look almost like flowers on the first glimpse.
