Chili peppers!

I found these at the farmers market in Burlingame for $1.50. The look great and taste good too. Just slice them up and top a salad, soup or in my case, pav bhaji, for that extra zing.
Just got back from trip to India and great food - discovered that chili peppers are not native to India but came from the Americas. BC (before chili), we used black peppers and something called pippali, but now American chilies have taken over so completely that we don't think of the BC era!
Chili came from the Aztec in south America - not called chili any more here thanks to the Texan Chilli (and the Roosevelt Chilli Cook off), but works thorugh most of Asia.

Here's how you make pav bhaji

Ingredients
• 2 spoons olive or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (optional)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chili peppers
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 4 large chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups cauliflower, 1 cup chopped cabbage, 1 cup green peas, 1 cup diced carrots
• Or substitute a bag of mixed veggies for the above
• 8 potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 3 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice or serve with sliced lemon wedges

• 8 (2 inch square) dinner rolls
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chili peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Saute garlic and chili for 30 seconds, then stir in onions and ginger. Cook until onions are brown. Add tomatoes, and cook until pasty. Stir in cauliflower, cabbage, peas, carrots and potatoes. Season with pav bhaji masala. Cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, and stir in lemon juice.
2. Toast the dinner rolls, and spread lightly with butter. Serve garnished with chopped onion, fresh chili peppers and cilantro.

And heres a recipe for pav bhaji masala http://www.grouprecipes.com/9948/pav-bhaji-masala.html