logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
26m 32s

How to love chillies

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Chillies can be hard to love at first, but they are integral to the cuisines of many countries. So what do you do if hot peppers are at the heart of your food culture, but your child can’t stand the heat?

Emily Thomas is joined by three cooks and parents. Each of them grew up in a food culture where chillies are important, but are now bringing up their own children in a country where hot peppers have less significance. We hear why you might want a child to develop a taste for chilli, how young they should be introduced to it, and whether you should ever resort to bribery.

Guests: MiMi Aye, Sunrita Dutta, Mei Li.

Up next
Jul 29
Should I cut down on carbs?
Have you ever asked yourself: should I do Keto? Is white rice good for me? Am I eating too many carbohydrates? If so, then this episode of The Food Chain is for you. Carbohydrate-rich foods are everywhere and they’re delicious. But are they good for us? Carbs have a reputation fo ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 22
When should I eat my evening meal?
When should you eat your evening meal? Is it really better to eat earlier, or does it depend on when you go to bed? And if you do have to eat late, is there anything you can do to reduce the impact on your health?In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores what sci ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 15
The rise of eating alone
Listener Melanie wrote into The Food Chain to ask us to make a programme about the rising numbers of people who eat alone. She told us she often dines solo and sometimes finds the experience daunting. So today Ruth Alexander hears from Melanie and from other solo diners – some wh ... Show More
26m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2018
Totally Spiced Out! (Encore - 9/24/18)
What in the world makes chili peppers hot? How in the world do we measure their spiciness? And where in the world are kids least likely to get spiced out? Get ready to be SPICED OUT with Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz in our hottest episode of Wow in the World yet! (Originally Aired De ... Show More
26m 39s
Jul 2022
Spice, Spice, Baby! Why Some Of Us Enjoy The Pain Of Spicy Foods
Today, we talk about spicy food and its intersection with pleasure and pain as part of our "Taste Buddies" series — Short Wave's ode to "taste." In this episode, Host Emily Kwong talks to food reporter Ruth Tam and researchers Julie Yu and Nadia Byrnes about the science behind ou ... Show More
14m 15s
Nov 2020
Is Chili A Soup?
The world loves spicy, greasy chili, but who cares about love when you can debate-- is chili soup? 
38m 37s
Nov 2019
How To Pick A Pepper
<p>The chili pepper is the pride of New Mexico, but they have a problem with their beloved crop. There just aren’t enough workers to pick the peppers. Picking chili peppers can be especially grueling work even compared to other crops. So most workers are skipping chili harvests i ... Show More
35m 46s
Sep 2025
The Great Sriracha Feud | If You Can't Stand the Heat | 3
Why has hot sauce gotten so - well, hot? Bon Appétit’s Joseph Hernandez sheds some light on the rise of condiment culture, and why the spicy stuff got so popular over the past ten years (even Mötley Crüe has a hot sauce line!). Later, we explore our biological reactions to spice ... Show More
43m 55s
Jan 2020
307 – Hot Sauce Day + Shang Chi (22.01.20)
Nothing can beat adding a little bit of hot sauce to your meal, to spice things up! Aisha shares her favourite spicy food, Shang-Chi rumours, Sir Patrick Stewart's future in the MCU and Disney +. Listen to #Pulse95Radio in the UAE by tuning in on your radio (95.00 FM) or online o ... Show More
26m 25s
Apr 2020
Sticky Asian Beef with Ginger
<p>A little bit of ginger, some garlic, you decide chilli in or out - some like it hot!</p> 
7m 13s
Feb 2024
Why Do We Like Spicy Food? ft. Sohla El-Waylly
Today, Josh and Nicole unravel the mystery of our spicy food obsession with chef, food writer, and culinary personality Sohla El-Waylly.Leave us a voicemail at (833) DOG-POD1Check out the video version of this podcast: http://youtube.com/@mythicalkitchen 
47m 4s
Jul 2022
Turning up the heat on chillies and their health benefits
If variety is the spice of life, then for some, a hot chilli dish is the ultimate way to add spice to life. But outside of the Mexican fiesta party happening inside your mouth and the waterworks from your sweat glands, could there be some benefits for your health? It's time to tu ... Show More
9m 3s