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 CHILLI
PEPPER
With
their attractive brightly coloured, smooth, shiny
skins, chillies range from mildly hot to scorchingly
fiery. Red and green chillies are widely available
although yellow and orange varieties can also
be bought. They come in a range of different varieties
and shapes, ranging from long and slender to round
and bulbous.
Popular
as an everyday ingredient in a variety of cuisines,
including Thai, Indian, Mexican and Chinese, chillies
can add just a subtle flavour or a real kick to
a wide selection of savoury dishes. As a general
rule the smaller the chilli the hotter it is but
the colour is no guide to heat. The heat of the
chilli comes from capsaicin, a type of oil, which
is concentrated in the seeds and the white pith
that surrounds the seeds, although it is present
in the flesh too. When buying, choose firm chillies
with a shiny unblemished skin.
Varieties
of chillies widely available include:
Habanero
The
hottest of all chillies, habaneros are squat,
box shaped-chillies from Mexico. Similar to Scotch
bonnet chillies, they can be green, orange, yellow
or red, and are especially suitable for Caribbean
cuisine.
Bird's
Eye
Bird's
eye chillies are small, long, thin red or green
chillies. They are particularly popular in Chinese,
Thai and Indian dishes. They are very hot and
add a distinctive flavour to recipes such as curries,
sauces and rice dishes.
Fresno
A
medium hot chilli, tapered in shape and green
or red in colour. A good general purpose chilli,
useful in Mexican cooking.
Jalapeno
These
relatively mild chillies are green and plump.
They are popular in relishes, dips and salsas
and often used on pizzas.
How To Use chilli pepper
Chillies
can be served raw or cooked. Raw chillies are
added to dips, salsas, salads and they can also
be used as a garnish. Chillies are included
in a vast number of dishes including curries,
stir-fries, sauces, soups, stews, pies, pizzas,
risottos, vegetable dishes and in meat or vegetarian
chilli.
How To Prepare chilli pepper
If
you prefer a milder taste remove the seeds and
pith before cooking: slice the chilli in half
vertically and using a small, sharp knife scrape
out the pith and seeds, chop into small pieces.
Wash your hands well after cutting chillies
to avoid rubbing any of the fiery oil into your
eyes. If you prefer a hotter flavour, simply
wash and slice the chilli into rings.
How To Cook chilli pepper
Chillies
are usually fried in oil, sometimes with garlic
and onions at the beginning of a recipe. To
fry, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and stir-fry
for 2 - 3 minutes.
How To Store chilli pepper
Keep
in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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