Chillies Factsheet

Chillie chillie bang, bang….!  Chillies have made a great come-back, now being an everyday ingredient in most kitchens. 03-10-2007

Chillies are a key ingredient to variety of cuisines, including Thai, Indian, Mexican and Chinese.  Although the general thinking is that chillies are hot, they can also add a subtle flavour to a wide variety of dishes, even sweet dishes as chocolate and ice cream.
Chillie peppers are attractive, having bright colours and smooth shiny skins.  Red and green chillies are widely available although yellow and orange varieties can also be bought.  Chillies vary in shape, ranging from long and slender to round and bulbous.
Chillies belong to the Capsicum genus and can be obtained in fresh, dried or ground form.  There are more than 2000 chillie varieties although they are not all commercially available.  Today statistics show that Thai people consume the most chillies. The origin of chillies is still hotly debated.  It is thought they evolved in Peru.  They were initially used as medicine, currency and seasoning in the Carribean and in New Mexico.  Colombus arrived in Mexico in the 15 th century and took back varieties to Europe, they then spread via traders as far as India, Africa and the Far East.
The heat of the chilli comes from capsaicin, a type of oil, which is concentrated in the seeds and the white pith that surrounds the seeds, although it is present in the flesh too.  Some think the redder the pepper, the hotter it is, but that's not so. You can usually distinguish by smell; scratch the stem and if it smells spicy, then it's hot.  When shopping for chillies, bear in mind that the smaller and thinner ones have the more kick and that riper red chillies are generally considered milder than their green counterpart.  Dried chillies are often ground into powders like cayenne pepper and paprika and are used to add or enhance flavour to cooking.  Chillie flakes are also readably available and can also be easily made at home by chopping up dry red chillies and blending them in a food processor.
Here are some varieties of chillies available:
• Habanero:  This is the hottest of all chillies, they are usually small and bright orange in colour and come with a serious fire warning.
• Bird’s eye:  A general term for very small or tiny chillies that is extremely pungent and spicy. Sometimes used to describe Thai chillies, they add a distinctive flavour to recipes such as curries, sauces and rice dishes.
• Fresno:  These are medium hot chillies, tapered in shape and green or red in colour, these are good general purpose chillies and are often used in Mexican cooking
• Jalapeno:   Green jalapenos are relatively mild chillies, they are versatile and popular in relishes, dips, pizzas and salsas.  Red Jalapenos are sweeter in flavour and are mainly pickled and used in sauces.
And a chillie a day could also keep the doctor away.  Chillies are eaten in small amounts and therefore would not count as any calories.  Chillies are richer in vitamin C than citrus fruits.  Chillies are great immune boosters, aid digestion, prevent heart disease, increase metabolism and last but not the least boost sexual desire.