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.
