Chillies aren’t called red hot for nothing: not only can they make you break out in a sweat, they add a delicious, exotic twist and intense flavour to any dish. Whether you like them mildly provocative or downright sadistic is a matter of personal taste, but in case you’re a chilli novice, here is our lowdown on all things chilli.
GOING FOR THE BURN
Do you know your jalapeño from your bird’s eye? With hundreds of varieties of chillies grown around the world, not all chillies are created equal, making cooking with them somewhat confusing. Chillies’ fiery sensation is caused by capsaicin, a powerful chemical that also triggers the brain to produce a rush of endorphins, natural feel-good painkillers. The heat of chillies is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), named for Wilbur Scoville, who in 1912 devised a method for measuring the strength of capsaicin in a given type of pepper.
To keep things simple, this is how the most commonly available chillies in South Africa measure up: ye old common or garden sweet peppers measure zero on the Scoville scale; jalapeño peppers measure about 5 000 SHU; serenade peppers about 50 000 to 80 000 SHU; bird’s eye chillies around 50 000 to 100 000 SHU; and habaneros 100 000 to 350 000 SHU.
HOT STUFF
While technically a fruit, chillies are generally considered by most people to be a spice. They originated in the Americas, where they have been part of the human diet since at least 7500BCE – they were first domesticated in Mexico about 6 000 years ago. Portuguese navigators can take the credit for their spread around the world and for introducing them to Asia during the 16th century. In fact, they have been so well integrated into Asian cuisines that it is hard to think of Indian, Thai and Chinese regional dishes without the ubiquitous chilli, and then there’s Mexican cuisine and more…
MELLOW OUT
Once you have a general idea of just how much heat you can handle and therefore which variety to select, buy fresh chillies that look glossy, firm and crisp with a stalk that hasn’t shrivelled.
To subdue the burn, cut the peppers in half lengthways and scrape out all the seeds and pithy ribs, which is where the burny capsaicin is concentrated. Wear gloves when working with peppers or wash your hands very well afterwards, and – whatever you do – DO NOT rub your eyes, nose, mouth or sensitive exposed skin.
When chilli dishes are on the menu, keep liquids with a high fat content – such as cold full-cream milk or yoghurt – on standby to mellow out the burning sensation. (In desperate situations, an effective burn remedy is to swill out your mouth with vegetable oil; apparently, when you spit it out, it’ll take most of the heat with it.)
TIPS
|
FIRE YOUR IMAGINATION
This is the perfect weather to warm yourself up from the inside out with our chilli-flavoured recipes. Many of these dishes require low, slow cooking for maximum flavour, which means our cast-iron casseroles are just the thing you need.
FIERY LAMB CURRY
Pictured below in the Classic Buffet Casserole
Our Fiery Lamb Curry is just the thing to brighten up a gloomy winter’s night, but be warned: this hearty and ferocious Indian-style dish is not for the faint of heart. Make it in our Buffet Casserole and bring it straight to the table for a dinnertime treat.
CHILLI BUTTER PRAWNS
Pictured below in the Square Skillet Grill
Finger-licking fast food takes on serious glamour with our Chilli Butter Prawns: all you need is to mix together the delicious garlicky, lemon-scented chilli butter while your cast-iron skillet is heating, then sauté the prawns in the butter for a couple of minutes. The hard part is going to be stopping yourself from eating these right out of the pan.
FRAGRANT CHICKEN MASALA
Pictured below in the Classic Oval Casserole
Put your Oval Casserole to good use with a Fragrant Chicken Masala that is so spicy and delicious you’ll wish you had made double.
ANGRY DUCK CURRY
Pictured below in the TNS Deep Frying Pan
If (almost) instant gratification and a quick stove-top dish are what you’re in the mood for, get out your wok or TNS Deep Frying Pan and whip up an Angry Duck Curry, which draws on the light and flavour-packed culinary tradition of a Thai red curry. Garnish with fresh chillies – whole or sliced – to taste.
To view our full range of products, visit our online shop at www.lecreuset.co.za, or pop into your nearest Le Creuset Boutique store.
Submit a Comment