Chilies (was Re: Tobacco)

[DEVARAKONDA VENKATA NARAYANA SARMA]

At 05:32 PM 9/4/97 BST, you wrote:
>
>On Thu, 4 Sep 1997, David R. Israel wrote:
>
>> after the voyage of Columbus.  I believe it's commonly asserted that 
>> the same holds for various other botanicals, such as tomatos and 
>> chilis.  Tangentially, this seems rather interesting with regard to 
>> current customs & practices of Indian cuisine -- suggesting that mrch 
>> masala isn't so perennial as one might assume from current plates.
>
>Indeed. Among strictly observant south Indian families, chilies are
>avoided in the food prepared for the annual SrAddha rituals. Pepper is
>used instead. 
>
>Vidyasankar
>
>
>
>

As matter of curiosity chillies are considered as creation of Viswamitra
(Trisanku episode) and pepper that of Brahma.

sarma.