The chilli plant is native to Central America: for all chillies are associated with Asian and African cooking, they were introduced by Portuguese traders – take vindaloo, long a spicy nemesis of ...

Chilli is used in sauces and pastes, where it is almost always mixed with other ingredients to help balance the spice level and give them a fuller, more complex flavour.

Chillies and variety of spices are used in Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisines. Indian cuisine is known for using peppers, green chillies and red chillies , while in spices- cloves, cardamoms, cumin.