British chilli growers may be few and far between, but they are set for a boost after Asda reported that Brits have got a taste for eastern-inspired cooking, with sales of Indian ingredients soaring by up to 170 percent.

The supermarket says that the surge has coincided with the BBC’s show ‘Indian Food Made Easy’. It seems customers have been encouraged to cook their own food from scratch, rather than get a takeaway.

Sales on asafetida, sometimes called ‘Devil’s Dung’, are up 170 percent; chana dal, or yellow split pea, is up 110 percent; garam masala is up 150 percent; and curry powder is up by 110 percent.

Asda ethnic food buyer Noor Ali said: “Many people assume you can only find such specialist food at your local world fod store, but ASDA has been offering this choice for years. Our customers can access ingredients to experiment with and experience new world food, whilst others can find the necessary supplies to make a wonderfully familiar dish.”

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