It was bought by Portuguese traders..likely vasco da gama. Indian cuisine had other ‘spices for heat like mustard seeds, long pepper, ginger etc. it’s a more c

It was bought by Portuguese traders..likely vasco da gama. Indian cuisine had other ‘spices for heat like mustard seeds, long pepper, ginger etc. it’s a more complex multi layered heat than chili peppers. Also Szchewan* peppers are actually from the citrus family and not true peppers. Their numbing feeling enhances the ‘spice factor’. It’s a neurological hack. This can be used to make dishes seem spicier than they really are.. and this is native to China. * http://gernot-katzers-spice-pages.com/engl/Zant_pip.html http://gernot-katzers-spice-pages.com/engl/Zant_pip.html It is also possible that chili peppers existed in the indo-Malay region and Korea before Europeans bought chili peppers from South America. Korean peppers ..for example..are genetically distinct from South American chili peppers https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319445357_DNA_Sequence_Analysis_Tells_the_Truth_of_The_Origin_Propagation_and_Evolution_of_Chili_Red_Pepper https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319445357_DNA_Seque...