Chillies - Spice Safaris across Several Seas

 As mentioned earlier, an integral ingredient used in Indian cuisine – the Chilli was introduced to India by the Portuguese. Chillies were originally discovered by Christopher Columbus in South America. Pedro Álveras Cabral was the first Portuguese voyager to discover chillies in 1500 when he sailed to Brazil, creating a triangular network among Portugal, Brazil and India. The Western coast of India was its doorway into the subcontinent, from where its utilization spread throughout the nation. Its introduction into South India was through the port of Goa, whereas its spread throughout North India was facilitated by the Marathas during Shivaji’s rule, when the Maratha army was deployed in the North to contest the Mughal Empire.

                                      Fig: Chillies in India                                             Fig: Path followed by Vasco da Gama

On invading the Portuguese colony of Diu in India, the Ottomans encountered chillies for the very first time which captivated their taste buds and eventually led to chillies accompanying the Ottomans on future expeditions which  included their introduction into Bulgaria and Hungary.
By the mid-16th century, India began exporting chillies through the Ottoman empire to several countries in Europe including Germany, England and Netherlands. During these times, a common misconception among Europeans was that chillies were indigenous to India. In the contemporary world, India has become the leading producer of chillies.

 

Fig: A Portuguese Fort