In any production or presentation there is always a STAR. The star is the backbone, the support for the rest of the production. Food is very much the same way. And when it comes to Thai food known for its spicy flavor, Thai chilies are definitely the star! As a lover of Thai food, I decided to look a little deeper to find out how Thai Spice gets its spice.
We went to the chili fields of Isan, an area in Northeastern Thailand famous for its spicy Thai chilies and its fragrant jasmine Thai rice. The farmers there have created a unique production line. Once the chilies reach maturity, the first crop is green. If left on the plant longer, the chilies achieve their hearty robust red color and flavor. Wrapped in long sleeves or long skirts, and facial and hand coverings, these harvesters of spicy goodness work at an amazingly fast pace plucking the chilies from the plants.
From there, the chilies are laid out in the sun to dry. As you go through the neighborhood, flat baskets and tarp adorn the landscape and even the roofs. Once dried, they are collected in bags but they are not ready for market yet.
The next step is a family project. The stems must be removed from the chili pepper. Sometimes chattering. Sometimes in silence. The clan gather together, old and young alike, to fulfill the task. Then it’s off to market and into soups, stews, salads ,main courses or even popping hot fried chilies!
Filmed in 4K UltraHD using the Sony PXW-Z100 4K camera. This amazing camera enable independent filmmakers at a robust 60 frames per second with shutter speeds up to 1/9000 of a second and a dynamic range of 10 stops.