Year round, under the broiling Indian sun or sloshing through torrential monsoon rains, they trotted through the crowded streets of Mumbai at noon, balancing huge baskets filled with gleaming metal canisters on their heads; and as they passed, people turned, to take in the fragrance that suddenly filled the air.

The Meaning of Red Chillies Through the Ages. And no wonder—what the men were carrying was Red Chillies, the specially planned, flavorful meals that a loving wife or family cook had prepared for the breadwinners at the office.