Some people like the zing and zang of the devil’s pepper, while some would rather turn up their nose and say ‘hold the chili.’ Whatever your preference, the chili pepper may be one of the most under-used peppers in the fruit & veg isle.
Bursting with potential and rich in vitamin C, the chili pepper ranges in strength and taste and is used widely in cooking, from Italian to Indian.
You may feel intimidated by the chili pepper, and you should be, if you’re too heavy handed with our spicy friend, it will have you in a sweat. But in contrast, once you have learned to tame the pepper you’ll discover how to enhance the flavours in your food and enjoy a new found kick in your cooking.
Morgan Wood, Chef at Legends Spanish Restaurant, warns that chili can make or break your meal. “If you don’t use it properly, chili can really overpower a dish,” said Morgan. “The best thing about it is the mild to spicy effect it can give to foods and the flavour enhancement properties it gives to other foods when used properly.”
Morgan, now a master at manipulating the pepper, uses it everyday in traditional dishes that require extreme care when seasoning. “We use a variety of chili peppers in Spanish cuisine. Ranging from the spicy birds eye chili through to red and green capsicums and banana chilis for different dishes.”
You may not know a bird’s eye chili from a jalapeno, but before you go taste testing, take into consideration that the smaller the pepper, the hotter it will be. “Start off with small amounts of mild chili in dishes. Once you’re more confident, experiment with it.”
Care needs to be taken in the kitchen when working with chili. Fiery on the tongue, it’s also harsh on sensitive areas like your hands and eyes. “When preparing fresh chilis, (especially the smaller, hotter varieties) do not touch your eyes, and make sure you clean your utensils properly before you use them for anything else.”
‘Capsaicin’ is the active component in chili that makes it hot, and is found in the tissue that holds the seeds. Scraping the seeds out when preparing will result in far less heat in your cooking.
Spanish physicians wrote about chilis medicinal properties in the 1400’s, while Australian researchers claim it lowers blood sugar level and Oprah declares it suppresses the appetite.
Whatever myth you subscribe to, chili is hot and it’s possible to get over zealous and burn your mouth. The best way to ease the burning sensation is to drink milk, or eat yogurt or any other dairy product. A substance found in dairy products known as casein, helps to disrupt the reaction.
Get fiery this summer and add a mild chili to your stir fry or salad for a kick. If you want to leave it to the professionals, pop into Legends today and kick start your chili appreciation with the mild Oysters de la Casa, you’ll love the lime and chili dressing contrasted with paprika spice.
