Bhutan

Bhutan has one of the world’s most chili-centric cuisines; peppers are treated as a vegetable, not just a spice. Farmers across the country grow a range of local Capsicum annuum types collectively known as “ema,” including long red and green chilies dried in strings on rooftops, plus smaller, hotter varieties similar to Thai chilies.

While specific cultivar names are rarely exported, regional strains like Urka Bangala and other local hot peppers are documented in agronomic studies. The iconic national dish, ema datshi, consists almost entirely of chilies cooked with yak or cow cheese, eaten daily in many households.

Chiles also star in kewa datshi (potato-and-chili with cheese) and a host of side relishes (ezay) made from fresh or dried chilies, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Bhutan exports limited dried chili to neighboring countries, but domestic consumption drives production, making hot peppers central both to agriculture and identity.