| The oils of chilies and peppers, concentrated in the
seeds and ribs, contain a highly irritating substance, capsaicin, which, depending on the hotness of the chili, can cause a rash or even a burn. When handling all chilies - fresh, dried, canned, or powdered - take very great care to protect your skin. Work with whole chilies under cold running water. ( hot water can release irritating vapors ). Wear thin rubber gloves or generously oil your hands. Do not touch your face, especially your eyes, until you have thoroughly washed your hands with soap and warm water. If you touch your eyes, flush them with cold water immediately. |
The quickest way to add heat to a dish is to add dried chili,
be it flakes, powdered, or otherwise.
Fresh chilies are used in many dishes. They will keep well in airtight containers
stored in the fridge (refrigerator)
Chili Powders
Some recipes call for "pure" chili powder, which contains chilies only, as
distinct from powders that are a blend of chilies, cumin, oregano, onion,
garlic, or salt. Other recipes may simply call for "chili powder",
indicating the blended type.
Buy powder that is bright orange-red to dark-red. A yellowish
colour indicates age or inferior quality.
Roasting Chilies / Peppers
Some recipes call for roasted fresh chilies / peppers, which enhances their
flavour and helps to remove the tough outer skins.
( Jalapenos and serranos need only to be roasted if you are going to freeze
them ).
Before roasting, pierce the chilies / peppers a couple of times with
a sharp knife tip. Spear the chilies with a fork or skewer and hold
them directly over the flame of a gas stove, or place them on a rack over
an electric burner or on a foiled-lined baking sheet approximately 4 inches
( 9-11cm ) from the heat source in a gas or electric grill ( broiler ).
Turn the chilies often to char the skins evenly. They should
be thoroughly blistered and somewhat blackened, but not burned through.
Place the chilies in a paper bag ( hot vegetables & plastic bags
= melted plastic coating the vegetables ;) ) and allow them to
steam for ten to twenty minutes to loosen the skins. If you plan to
use them immediately, remove them from the bag and peel off the skins with
a sharp paring ( vegetable ) knife, or rub under cold water ( the skins should
slip off easily ). After peeling the chilies / peppers, remove the
stems, unless you are making a dish that requires the chilies to hold their
shape. Seed and de-rib the chilies / peppers carefully, baring in mind
that most of the hotness of the chilies / peppers is in the seeds and ribs.
Roasted chilies freeze well. Do not peel them before freezing,
as they will hold their shape better when thawed.
Freeze a number of chilies in a plastic bag. As the chilies thaw you
can peel off the skins.
Anaheim ( California green chilies )
These bright green pods are 5 to 7 inches ( 13cm to 18cm ) and are usually
very mild. They have firm, thick flesh and are easily
available.
Serrano
These very small ( about 11/2 inch (3-4cm) long and
1/2 inch (11/2cm) wide ) are
available in areas with large South American populations, but can be hard
to find otherwise. Jalapenos peppers can be used as a
substitute.
Scotch Bonnet
Rarely more than 2 inches (5-6cm) high, and round. These are one of
THE hottest peppers. Used extensively in West Indian cooking, these
are to be used with caution.
Poblano
Triangular and about 41/2 inches ( 10-11cm ) long and
21/2 inches ( 5-6cm ) wide, these chilies are dark
green and variably hot. They are not widely available, other than in
Mexican or South American communities. Allowing for subtle differences
in flavour and hotness, you can use poblano and anaheim chilies
interchangeably.
Jalapeno
These very hot chilies are dark green to greenish black and about 2 inches
( 4-5cm ) long. They are generally available.