Chilli peppers turn up the heat

ANCIENT SPICE: EASY TO GROW AND FULL OF FIREPOWER

- Alice Spenser-Higgs

Did you know that the chilli pepper is one of the world's most ancient spices, with a reputation for culinary firepower that goes back some 9 000 years?

They were first cultivated in Mexico but have since spread to warm climates like South Africa where they grow easily. There are hundreds of different varieties of chillies although the best known are the habanero, one of the very hottest, the cayenne which is often dried and ground to produce cayenne pepper, and jalapeno, which is the most popular Mexican chilli.

The best way to enjoy chillies and experiment with their different strengths is to grow your own. The most palatable of the chillies are those in the medium to hot range.