('recent' means the last 500 years, which is relatively quick compared to the domestication of peas/lentils 11,500 years ago, and cinnamon/black pepper/cloves 3500 years ago)
Sometimes people don't realize how recent some of the changes in cuisines have been.
Chili peppers originated near Mexico, and weren't available to Afro-Eurasia until the Columbian exchange around 1500. The spicy food of India and Asia have only developed since then.
Tomatoes originated in the Americas, and weren't available to Afro-Eurasia until the Columbian exchange. Italy's love affair with tomatoes didn't begin until the 1500s.
Curries originated in India, and didn't really expand until British Imperialism spread it among their ports. British Imperialism landed in countries in this order: China in the late 1700s, Japan in the 1870s.
(note: curry really doesn't describe a specific sauce; the term was probably a British colonial invention)