pped ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁s als as ▁or ▁other ▁sau ces , ▁of ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁often ▁a ▁main ▁ing red ient . ▁ ▁They ▁can ▁be ▁preserved ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁a ▁jam , ▁or ▁by ▁dry ing , ▁pick ling , ▁or ▁free zing . ▁D ried ▁pe ppers ▁may ▁be ▁reconst it uted ▁whole , ▁or ▁processed ▁into ▁fla kes ▁or ▁pow ders . ▁Pick led ▁or ▁mar in ated ▁pe ppers ▁are ▁frequently ▁added ▁to ▁sand wich es ▁or ▁sal ads . ▁Fro zen ▁pe ppers ▁are ▁used ▁in ▁ste ws , ▁sou ps , ▁and ▁s als as . ▁Ext ract s ▁can ▁be ▁made ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁hot ▁sau ces . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁conquist adores ▁soon ▁became ▁aware ▁of ▁their ▁cul inary ▁properties , ▁and ▁brought ▁them ▁back ▁to ▁Europe , ▁together ▁with ▁c ocoa , ▁pot atoes , ▁sweet ▁pot atoes , ▁to b acco , ▁ma ize , ▁be ans , ▁and ▁tur keys . ▁They ▁also ▁brought ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Philippines ▁colon ies , ▁wh ence ▁it ▁spread ▁to ▁Asia . ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁brought ▁them ▁to ▁their ▁African ▁and ▁A si atic ▁poss essions ▁such ▁as ▁India . ▁ ▁All ▁the ▁vari eties ▁were ▁appreciated , ▁but ▁the ▁hot ▁ones ▁are ▁particularly ▁appreciated ▁because ▁they ▁can ▁en l iven ▁otherwise ▁monot on ous ▁di ets . ▁This ▁was ▁of ▁some ▁importance ▁during ▁di et ary ▁restrictions ▁for ▁religious ▁reasons , ▁such ▁as ▁L ent ▁in ▁Christian ▁countries . ▁ ▁Spanish