Ep. 28: Mirchi: It’s Getting Chilli, It's Getting Hot

In this episode, our 2Gs, the Gourmands & Geeks, Sadaf and Archit talk about an ingredient that defines Indian cooking in the 21st century: Mirchi. Just because the vegetable vendor hands some for free (just like dhaniya) doesn't mean it's not interesting. They talk:-Vasco De Gama and the Portuguese connection with chillies-The evolutionary psychology of why Mirchi makes us feel the heat-Why we love spicy food even though it hurts and burns us.-The difference between chilli and Pepper-The medicinal properties of Mirchi-How we measure the hotness level of chillies and the hottest chilli of IndiaSo sit back and order some chicken chilli or vindaloo or simply bite into a green chilli while you listen to some hot takes on India’s favourite seasoning.Important links to geek out more:Book: The Flavour of Spice by Marryam H. Reshii(https://amzn.to/3x8pLTv)Book: Spice: The History of a Temptation by Jack Turner(https://amzn.to/3gmiHNf)Book: Masala Lab: The Science of Indian Cooking by Krish Ashok(https://amzn.to/3fWuy2N)Video: Red Hot Chili Pepper - The History by Vir Sanghvi(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r6bPu0O5I8)Video: Top 10 HOTTEST Peppers on Earth!(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLKEM2TRDwQ)Chillies – The Prime Spice – A History by Dr. Indu Mehta(https://bit.ly/3i8sQxJ)How potatoes and chillies conquered Indian cuisine by Anil Paralkar(https://bit.ly/3vJHjnW)Chillies: The ingredient that unites India and China by Vikram Doctor(https://bit.ly/3vDSH4L)You can follow Sadaf Hussain & Archit Puri on their Instagram handle:@sadaf_hussain @thehustlinggluttonYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/

Om Podcasten

In the Naan-Curry Podcast, we explore the rich heritage of food in India one dish at a time. The conversation, seasoned with enjoyable anecdotes, will give you a historical perspective on the evolution of food in the country and dive deep into the economics that shaped its consumption. Sadaf is an author, chef and MasterChef India Finalist and Archit is a researcher, consultant and writes on behavioral sciences and economics. Tune in to new episodes every Wednesday, starting from 28 October.