Chillies

Chillies belong to the capiscum family, and are relatives to milder bell peppers. There are over fifty commonly used types of chilli. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. A few examples are as follows:

Red and Green are mildly hot and are popular in Mexican dishes.

Birdseye chillies are small and reddish brown. They have a lot of heat and are used in Indian and Mexican cooking.

Scotch bonnet chillies can be green, red, orange or yellow and are the hottest variety of pepper. If not used carefully can soon over power a recipe.

The general rule when using chillies is that the smaller the chilli is, the hotter it will be. Although, heat can sometimes vary quite dramatically, so always take care.

Preparation and Use

To prepare a chilli, begin by removing the stem and slicing the chilli in half lenthways. Then using a knife remove the ribs and seeds. These are the hottest part of the chilli, so removing them will decrease the heat a chilli adds to a recipe.

Depending on your dish, cut the chilli as desired (usually small slices), the chilli is now ready to cook.

Chillies are popular in many types of cuisine including Indian, Italian and Mexican. A good everyday use for chilli is to chop finely and add to the topping of a pizza. You can also try adding a small amount of chilli to bolognese sauce to give it a little extra kick.

Remember all chillies must be handled with care. Wear rubber gloves and wash your hands after removing the gloves to ensure the potent oils from the chilli skin don't soak into your fingers. After preparing, never touch your skin as this can be painful.

Health and Nutrition

Chillies are usually used in small amounts, therefore not providing a great deal of nutritional benefits.

However, they are rich in vitamin C which the body uses to help wounds heal more quickly.

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