Indian food is deliciously full of flavorful spices. I love the curries, the sombars, and the chutneys served with dosa and idli. I love the way powdered coconut is added to everything in the south and chapatis and paranthas served fresh and hot off the griddle in the north. There is only one thing which I don’t love — chili peppers — and unfortunately they are added to just about every single dish.

Ack! Why do they do that? Why must they ruin a perfectly good buttermilk sombar with those awful hot, green chilies? And the perfect golden dosa with a side of coconut chutney. Just the thought of it makes my mouth begin to water, only to take one bite and have my mouth set on fire. Indian foods are full of flavor. Why must all the more subtle spices be constantly overpowered by the strong, pungent chili? I must protest! The Indians are not being fair to the tumeric and the cumin seed and the garlic and onions. Ginger — I love the taste of ginger. I want to taste the ginger but how can I when my mouth is always first set on fire by the damn chilies? Banish the chili pepper! Sign my petition. Let’s get rid of the green chili pepper once and for all. It is already gone from MY house.

I have returned from India with a booklet full of new recipes and I will be making each and every single one without a single chili pepper. I can’t wait to thoroughly enjoy each and every dish. Because of the chili peppers I feel like I never REALLY tasted these dishes while in India so I can’t wait to do so now.

My son (age 7) and I do not eat chilies. My six-year-old twin daughters do. The girls absolutely love anything spicy. The spicier the better to them. They will even add mango pickle to just about anything to spice it up a notch or two. Yikes!