Chilli is most popular spice throughout history, whenever it went it transformed the previously bland cuisine. Latin American, Asian, African, Caribbean and certain regional Oriental cuisines make extensive use of this spice. The name chilli is believed to be derived from an ancient Indian wordtxile. Chillies are native to Mexico. Evidence of chilli peppers is known from burial sites in pre- Colombian times in Peru.

They were first cultivated in the Valley of Mexico in North America about 9,000 years ago. Their name in Nahuatl, the language of the region, was chilli and this term is applied to all members of the genus. All chillies fall into the genus of capsicum and most of the readily available ones belongs to the Annuum species. Despite their antiquity, the capsicums remained one of the most well kept secrets of the New World until Columbus introduced them to Europe at the end of the 15th century.

Christopher Columbus, who was searching the New World for pepper (Piper nigrum) came across these fruits, which, he discovered, were even hotter than peppercorns. He carried his prize to Europe and from there to Africa, India and the East where chilli became an integral part of each cuisine. The long shelf life of the seeds (it can be 2-3 years) was a bonus in the days of sea travel.

During the Ottoman invasions of the 16th century, Europeans rediscovered chillies, and the circle was completed when they were re-introduced to the Americans by European immigrants in the 17th century.

The ending e, chile is the authentic Hispanic spelling of the word, whereas English linguist have changed the e to an I most probably because phonetically the I is more true in sound for English speakers. The British generally spell the world with a double i.

There are hundreds of chilli varieties \u2013 over 150 in Mexico alone \u2013 ranging in pungency from sweet to fiery hot. Chillies are rich in vitamin C, an extra bonus to their mouth-tingling flavour. The plants grow at altitudes from sea level to 1800 metres/6000 feet in the topics. Their pungency is influenced by several factors, such as high night temperatures and drought or over-watering. Green chillies are immature fruits and red chillies have been allowed to ripen for a further 4 weeks. Ripened chillies can also be orange-yellow, purple, dark brown or black.

India is the largest producer and exporter of chillies, with a significant part of the total crop used for home consumption. Travellers in Rajasthan and the south of India marvel at the acres of chillies, laid out to dry like a huge red carpet stretching as far as the eye can see.

Thailand, Mexico, Japan, Turkey, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are also major producers, and they export chillies to the other countries around the world.

The most common Mexican chillies, used in the cuisine to make fiery salsas, bean, fish and poultry dishes, are fresh green serrano, jalapeno and poblano chillies.

Chillies are rich in vitamin C, they stimulate the appetite and cool the body, especially in hot climates, by making the person sweat. The cooling effect also create a feeling of calm and benignity. The characteristic pungency of chillies is caused by the presence of capsaicin (capsaicinoids) promote different taste sensations when eaten, giving either a short fiery flavor or lingering hot taste. The hotness is said not to come from seeds but rather the placenta, this is the pithy white part of the fruit to which the seeds are attached, and it contains the most capsaicin so removal of both seeds and placenta should reduce the pungency of chillies, if required.