Produce of India: Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of chilli in the country followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu.

History: A German immigrant named William Gebhardt invented the first chili powder in 1896 in the town of New Braunfels. When you consider how closely the green chilli is connected with Indian cooking, it seems improbable that it was once a foreign flavour. Whereas wild forms of chillies were found in Mexico way back in 5000 BC, there is no mention of it in Indian literature until the 16th century. Food historian KT Acharya notes in his book A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food that for long black pepper was the predominant spice used to add pungency to Indian dishes.

Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama are thought to have brought the chilli plant to Indian shores from the Americas. The tropical Indian climate proved suitable to its cultivation and its fruits began to be used widely in cooking.

Active Ingredient:  Capsaicin is an active ingredient which provides spiciness. Apart from providing a hot and spicy taste, capsaicin is responsible for numerous other health effects on the heart, stomach, and pain relief.