Red hot chili peppers: spice up your life

Well-loved and well-traveled, chili peppers add oomph to Mexican sauces, curries that are Indian, Asian stir-fries , even Moroccan tajines. Colour doesn't determine the heat quotient, although fresh chilies are green and ripen to red, yellow, brown, purple or almost black. Generally, smaller chilies package more of a wallop than their larger cousins. Capsaicin, an odorless crystalline compound found in the seeds, membranes and skin of all chilies, makes them hot and generates that mouth tingling effect. When ingested, the nervous system to discharge endorphin is caused by chilies, making a marvelous sense of well being. Besides boosting your mood and providing a flavor kick, chilies will also be packed with antioxidant vitamins A and C.Just as the taste of fresh tomatoes differs from the intensely flavored sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes, the full-bodied smokiness of dried chili peppers is a remarkable deviation from the sharp taste of fresh chilies. When choosing fresh chilies, purchasing, look for a glistening company and smooth outside. Avoid any round the stem with wrinkles and blemishes. Ground and crushed dried chilies store them in airtight containers, so buy them in small quantities and lose their flavor after a few months. Oils in chilies can burn skin and eyes, when you're managing them without gloves, try not to reach those places until after thoroughly washing your hands with soapy water. Before easing into salads or soups cooking Finely chop or slice fresh chilies. To re-hydrate dried chilies for sauces, dry chilies were toasted by cover with hot water in a saucepan. Drain and reserve water. Split chilies in half when cool. Remove and discard seeds. Scrape pulp from skin and add to reserved water. Refrigerate up to a week. To keep chilies fresh longer, wash, core and seed, then dry well. Coarsely chop or slice before keeping in plastic freezer bags that are small. Freeze up to a month. During warm weather, cord chilies together into colorful garlands and hang like garlic ropes in the kitchen or on the patio. Roasting intensifies the flavor of fresh chilies. Pierce near their place on a baking sheet and stems. Broil, turning frequently, until blistered and black. Instantly seal in a paper bag for around a quarter-hour to make peeling easier. Put on disposable gloves and remove skins, stems and seeds. Use peppers and oil in pasta, salads or pizza. Quench the fire If you can not bear the heat or consume way too many peppers, don't gulp water. Tomatoes, bananas, beer, bread, rice or milk goods will help bring relief.