Several spices, roots, and herbs are native to those regions and have been used for centuries. Combinations of these spices can trigger similar nerve bundles that capsaicin from American peppers does (more easily)
Sichuan peppercorns are native to china and have been used in their cuisine since at least the 16th century
Ginger is native to maritime Southeast Asia and has been used in food for at least 5000 years since the early austroneaseans
Wasabi is native to Japan and Eastern Russia and has been used in their cuisine since the 8th century AD
Cassia cinnamon (hot cinnamon) is native to china. “True cinnamon” is native to Sri Lanka. Saigon cinnamon is native to Vietnam. All three have been imported from their native lands since at least 3000BC to Egypt and other African regions.
Mustard is native to India originally cultivated by the Indus civilization in 2500 BC. It’s a relative of wasabi after all.
Curry leaf from the curry tree is also native to India and Asia and has been part of their cuisine for millennia.
Put all these ingredients in a stew with zero chilies and I guarantee it’s going to burn through the roof of your mouth, your tongue, and your lips all at the same time.
Capsaicin is popular in modern versions of these dishes because it is cheap due to being easily cultivated and achieves spiciness without needing to cook the food for an entire day. But old world versions of many traditional dishes were still just as spicy.
Point being their cuisine wasn’t nearly as spicy before because they didn’t drop copious amounts of cheaply available chilies into nearly every meal. A lot of those spices were nearly impossible to obtain in large amounts even in their native regions and aren’t as spicy to begin with.
Several spices, roots, and herbs are native to those regions and have been used for centuries. Combinations of these spices can trigger similar nerve bundles that capsaicin from American peppers does (more easily)
Sichuan peppercorns are native to china and have been used in their cuisine since at least the 16th century
Ginger is native to maritime Southeast Asia and has been used in food for at least 5000 years since the early austroneaseans
Wasabi is native to Japan and Eastern Russia and has been used in their cuisine since the 8th century AD
Cassia cinnamon (hot cinnamon) is native to china. “True cinnamon” is native to Sri Lanka. Saigon cinnamon is native to Vietnam. All three have been imported from their native lands since at least 3000BC to Egypt and other African regions.
Mustard is native to India originally cultivated by the Indus civilization in 2500 BC. It’s a relative of wasabi after all.
Curry leaf from the curry tree is also native to India and Asia and has been part of their cuisine for millennia.
Put all these ingredients in a stew with zero chilies and I guarantee it’s going to burn through the roof of your mouth, your tongue, and your lips all at the same time.
Capsaicin is popular in modern versions of these dishes because it is cheap due to being easily cultivated and achieves spiciness without needing to cook the food for an entire day. But old world versions of many traditional dishes were still just as spicy.
Point being their cuisine wasn’t nearly as spicy before because they didn’t drop copious amounts of cheaply available chilies into nearly every meal. A lot of those spices were nearly impossible to obtain in large amounts even in their native regions and aren’t as spicy to begin with.