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Chili Peppers The Chili Plants Chilies range from small, pointed tabascos to plump banana chilies, fiery hot habaneros, spicy paprikas, sweet bells, and hundreds of others--all belonging to the genus Capsicum . Most hot, and all sweet varieties of peppers grown in the U.S. are Capsicum annuum , while C. frutescens produces the small, thin-skinned pepper from which Tabasco sauce is made. C. chinense is the botanical name for habaneros, the hottest of the peppers. There are several scales for measuring the hotness of chilies. What they actually measure is the capsaicin content, the crystalline, pungent substance that gives them their fire. The most popular scale is the Scoville Organoleptic test, which assigns a number between 0 and 300,000 heat units (the higher the number, the hotter the pepper). A Glance Back In his quest for peppercorns, Columbus found like "agi" pods, which the Indians used in cooking. Although technically no relation to black peppers, the Spanish called the pods "peppers," and the name stuck. Early explorers sent the seeds back to Europe, where their popularity quickly spread; chili peppers were soon commonly used to flavor bland foods all over Europe. Like modern chili lovers, both the Edwardians and the Victorians placed chili powder shakers on their tables. |
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Using Chilies Chilies perk up stir-fries, soups, grain or vegetable recipes--just about any dish. (For that reason, they're considered a good addition to a low-sodium diet.) You'll find the bright, hot peppers (whole, crushed, flaked, ground, or in chili powder blends) adding color and flavor to Southwestern salsas, Indian chutneys, Thai curries, Mexican enchiladas, Chinese stir-fries, Texan chili con carnes, Cajun hot sauce, and many other recipes. If you like kick in your recipes, you'll find chilies indispensable. A few tips: * Wear thin rubber or plastic gloves when handling chilies. And keep hands that have touched chilies away from your eyes and any cuts or abrasions. To remove the oils from your skin, wash it with vinegar. Scrub knives and cutting boards that have been in contact with chilies well, too. * Keep in mind that chilies continue to leach capsaicin after they're added to a recipe, so that dishes get hotter and hotter as they sit or are stored. If you aren't used to cooking with chilies, start with very small amounts. * If you get too much heat in a dish, eat or drink dairy products like milk or yogurt to neutralize the burning; because capsaicin isn't water soluble, water won't do the trick. Starches like rice or bread sometimes help, too. |
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* You can add dried chilies directly to a recipe with plenty of liquid; otherwise, reconstitute them first by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to soak for 15 minutes or so, until soft and flexible. (Note that while "neutering" a fresh chili pepper, or removing its seeds, decreases its hotness, this doesn't work with dried chilies; the drying process seems to disperse the capsaicin throughout the peppers.) Of Special Note Researchers are studying the pain-reducing effect of capsaicin. One theory is that capsaicin triggers pain-detecting nerves in the mouth, nose and throat, which in turn motivate the brain to release natural painkillers (endorphins). Other studies suggest that capsaicin may lower blood pressure, reduce blood clot formation, prevent or heal ulcers (by stimulating the flow of digestive juices). |
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