Little known factoid.
All chilis found around the world today have their origins in Mexico, Central America, and South America. They were spread by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, missionaries, and traders, together with many other now common crops such as maize, tomatoes and pineapples through the Columbian Exchange. The chili varieties found in Southeast Asia today were brought there in the 16th or 17th century.
So really, Sriracha just came back home.
Don’t forget the potato.
Native to the Andes, and practically fed Europe a few hundred years later, to the point where a potato disease forced half of Ireland to North America and Australia!
I recently realized this myself! When I think that so many cuisines are *noted* for their use of tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes (Ireland, maybe not a cuisine!), I have to wonder what people ate before the New World was discovered!
And I wonder how poorer people got through the winter in Medieval times and before, considering there were no beans!