Preparing Chillies
Preparing Chillies: Eat them fresh
Obviously the easiest way to use your chillies is to eat them fresh. Lovers of spicy food can simply chop up fresh chillies and add them to virtually any dish they are cooking. Fresh chillies are usually associated with classic dishes such as chili con carne, curry and Mexican foods however they make a great addition to virtually any dish.
Feel the burn
Everyone knows that chillies are hot. It is a common misconception that it is the seeds that produce the heat in a chilli. In fact it is the thin membrane that separates the seeds from the flesh of the chilli that contains the capsaicin which causes the hot reaction with your taste buds. As a result removing the seeds of a pod doesn’t always remove all of the heat.
Everyone’s tolerance of capsicum will be different so the quantities of chilli used in your cooking will be a matter of trial and error. It might be an idea to wear disposable gloves and possibly eye protection.
Another common mistake is the belief is that a large glass of water is the best tonic to fan the flames. However because capsaicin is an oil water will not dilute/remove it. Dairy products often offer the best solution, with natural yogurt being a firm favorite. Used a lot in Indian cuisine ‘curd’ or natural yogurt is a great compliment to Indian cooking and spicy food in general
Too many to Eat?
A common problem amongst chili heads is ending up with a huge surplus of ripe chillies by the end of the summer. After raising your little babies from seed the last thing you want is for any fruit to go to waste.
Be sure to check out our article on preserving chillies.
Loading ...
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Chilli King,
I’m currently living in Nigeria and getting used to cooking with fresh chillies. But I’m having a problem.
However hot the chilli seems (I’m buying scotch bonnet peppers, generally, and put them to my lip to test them while still raw – scorching!), after I’ve cooked it, it seems to lose all its heat. Tonight I made a single portion of stir fry with a whole scotch bonnet in and could taste virtually no heat at all.
Any idea what I’m doing wrong? Is there something in the way I’m cooking them that could be taking away the heat?
Jenny – Are you taking the seeds out? The heat comes from the membrane (pith) that surrounds the seeds so it is possible that by removing the seeds you are also removing the heat from the chillies too.
Out of ignorance, please how do i prepare a chillie for cooking,if i purchace red and or green in its raw state,is the whole chilli including the seeds washed then choppen and added to whatever,also in preparing to cook small amount say for 2 people just how many whole chillies to be added an cooked for how long,i underdstand the varies in taste but what would be a minimum of whole chilli added and a minimum of cooking time. Thank,s
Steve – How long is a piece of string?! I usually snip the tip off a chilli and carefully nibble it raw to gauge it’s hotness before cooking with it. As a general rule if I am frying off ingredients (onions/garlic etc) i’ll add the chopped chillies just before I add the other wet ingredients (after the onions/garlic are cooked. You can add the seeds etc if you like though as a general rule top reduce the heat remove the seeds and the white pith that holds to seeds to the flesh of the chilli. It’s best to experiment and see what works for you. Just remember you can always add more to increase the heat but you can’t take any away!!!