Capsicum annuum var. annuum/
Capsicum frutescens
planetary ruler: Mars
element: Fire
associated deities: Uchu, Alakshmi
magical virtues: Shamanic travel, counter magic, protection, love, lust
Christopher Columbus set sail to find a new route to get the extortionately expensive black pepper cheaper, but instead he landed in the New World and discovered something just as good: chillies. It was his naming them pimiento (“red pepper”) that caused the confusion that still exists with the name—they are not really peppers at all, but part of the Solanaceae or nightshade family, and so are related to potatoes and tomatoes. The confusion doesn’t stop there; they are also called chile, chili, cayenne, paprika, and pimento.
Chillies are the only spice in this book with a New World origin. Chillies were called Uchu by the Incas and revered as a deity, one of the four brothers of a creation myth, and brother of the first Inca king. In his Suma y narración de los Incas (“Narrative of the Incas”), the Spaniard Juan de Betanzos included the story of the four Ayar brothers—Uchu, Manco, Cachi, and Auca—who with their four sisters/wives lived in a mountain cave called “Storehouse of Dawn.” It had three windows, one of which looked out to the sky, one to the underworld, and one to the world of the living. The brothers and sisters left the cave in search of a suitable place to settle. Ayar Cache (“Salt”), was so powerful he could break mountains, so the siblings became afraid and sent him back to the cave, where he was walled up. The remaining siblings travelled through the Andes, planting seeds wherever they halted. When they reached the foot of the mountain Quirir-Manta, Ayar Uchu (“Hot Pepper”) 37 became a stone shrine on the top of the mountain, where Inca youths went in order to be transformed into adults. Here the two brothers, Salt and Chilli Pepper, seem to represent shamanic opposite realms, one connected to the cave and earth, and the other connected with mountains and the sky.
Chilli peppers have certainly played their part in rituals of shamanic travel. The pre-Columbian tribes of Panama used chilli in combination with cocoa and other plants to enter into hallucinatory trance, travelling to the world above or the world below to negotiate with spirits on behalf of humankind. 38 In the Amazon chilli is sometimes added to the hallucinogenic medicines that shamans use for healing rituals and vision quests. The Aztecs also loved drinking chilote, a liqueur made of fermented agave pulp, chilli, and herbs, the basis of today’s tequila and mezcal.
In Central and South America chillies were traditionally used in counter magic, protection rituals, and to drive out evil spirits. Sprinkled around the house, they were expected to repel malevolent demons and vampires, while burning them along with garlic and other pungent spices was intended to fumigate and purify the house. In Latin American countries they are also a popular counter-magical device to ward off or cure the effects of the evil eye. Strings of chilli peppers are hung up in the house or worn as a protective necklace. 39 Hang a string of dried chillies in your kitchen as a protective charm, or put a wreath of chillies and dried lemon slices on your front door. Add chilli powder to incenses of protection and banishing.
Chillies have long enjoyed a reputation as an aphrodisiac, as their fiery nature was thought to ignite the flames of passion. The Aztecs often mixed them with other aphrodisiac plants such as cocoa and vanilla. Share some Chilli Hot Chocolate or Chilli Vodka with a lover.
Add chilli powder to incenses of Mars and fire to increase their power.
culinary uses
Many villages in Central America are named after the type of chilli they grow, and special fiestas are celebrated in their honour. There are many hundreds of hybridized varieties of bell pepper and chilli in various shapes, colours, sizes, and degrees of heat. Most varieties are derived from the annuum species, though C. frutescens is also popular. The heat is identified in Scoville Heat Units, with bell peppers rating 0, cayenne 2,500–4,000, and habaneros up to 300,000!
Fresh chilli peppers can be used to make soups, stews, curries, chillies, spicy drinks, sauces, chutney, and pickles. Chilli powder and cayenne pepper are ground from the fruit of capsicums. Chilli powder is usually a blend of several types of chillies. It can be added to meat or vegetable dishes, pasta, and eggs.
medicinal uses
actions: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, stomachic, antianginal, antioxidant, detoxicant, antibiotic, sialagogue
Chilli pepper helps stimulate saliva, which is important for digestion as well as preventing bad breath. Use a Chilli Gargle.
The hot and spicy taste of chilli is due to a compound called capsaicin, which is a natural painkiller. Capsaicin depletes a neurotransmitter called substance P, which is responsible for sending pain signals to our brain. When applied topically to affected areas, this is very helpful in relieving pain in cases of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, as well as shingles, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, bursitis, and muscle and back pain. Rub the affected area with Chilli Infused Oil or Chilli Salve.
Eating chillies or drinking Chilli Tea aids in breaking up and moving congested mucus in cases of colds and flu. Chillies are also rich in vitamin C, which helps the immune system fight infections. Take some Chilli Honey or use a Chilli Gargle for laryngitis and sore throats. Eating hot peppers increases the flow of blood and loosens the secretions of mucus in the sinuses, thus relieving the congestion that causes sinus headaches.
Caution: Lotions and creams containing capsicum are thought to be safe for most adults when applied to the skin. However, side effects can include skin irritation, burning, and itching. Capsicum can also be extremely irritating to the eyes, nose, and throat. Never use around the eyes, mucous membranes, or on sensitive or broken skin. Do not use on children. Eating chillies is safe for most people, but very hot chillies can cause stomach irritation and upset, sweating, flushing, and a runny nose. Very large doses over a period of time may cause more serious side effects. Do not use if you are breastfeeding, and stay on the safe side and don’t use more than small culinary amounts if you are pregnant. Stop using chillies at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery. Take care if you take anticlotting medications including aspirin, as capsicum may increase the effect. Avoid if you take theophylline.
Recipes
Chilli Honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of chilli powder
Simply combine the ingredients and take a teaspoonful as required.
Chilli Hot Chocolate
750 millilitres (3 cups) milk
½ vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
1 red chilli, deseeded
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
130 grams (½ cup) dark chocolate, grated
Put the milk, vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, and chilli in a saucepan over a medium heat until boiling. Remove from the heat and leave for ten minutes to infuse. Strain the liquid into a clean pan over a medium heat (don’t boil), and add the cocoa powder and chocolate, stirring until smooth. If you wish, serve topped with whipped cream.
Chilli Gargle
125 millilitres (½ cup) water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
pinch chilli powder
Mix the ingredients and use it as a gargle several times a day to aid a sore throat. For laryngitis, substitute honey for the salt.
Chilli Infused Oil
10–12 fresh chilli peppers
500 millilitres (2 cups) vegetable oil
Put the chillies and oil in a food processor or liquidiser and whizz up. Put the mixture in a glass jar and leave in a cool, dark place for ten days. Strain the liquid through fine muslin into a sterilised bottle. Apply directly to painful joints. Wash your hands afterwards and avoid broken skin or touching the eye area.
Chilli Salve
4 fresh chillies, chopped
200 millilitres (¾ cup) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon beeswax
Put the chillies and oil in a double boiler and simmer for about fifty minutes. Strain out the chillies and return the oil to the pan. Add the beeswax and stir until it has melted. Pour into warmed, sterilised glass jars. Apply directly to your painful joints. Do not use on broken skin. Wash your hands afterwards and avoid touching the eye area.
Chilli Tea
1 teaspoon ground chilli pepper
250 millilitres (1 cup) water
Pour the boiling water over the chilli pepper and infuse for ten minutes before drinking.
Banishing Incense
½ part dried basil
¼ part black pepper, ground
¼ part chilli powder
½ part clove, crushed
¼ part dill seeds, crushed
½ part garlic powder or garlic salt
½ part lemon peel, chopped
Combine and burn on charcoal. You can add four parts of frankincense resin if you have it, but this is not necessary to obtain the magical effect.
Chilli Vodka
4 chillies
500 millilitres (2 cups) vodka
Prick the chillies and put them in a bottle and top up with the vodka. Leave to infuse for two weeks, then strain off the vodka into a clean bottle.