The word "Chili" either elicits excitement or fear when we see it on a menu!
If you’ve ever eaten a chili pepper, you may have noticed that the second bite is hotter than the first. Some people believe it’s because the seeds are the hottest part, but it’s actually the membrane near them that will set your mouth on fire.
But let's get back to Chili's
Despite the huge range of species, only five are domesticated: C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, and C. pubescens. Capsicum annuum is the most common of the group; it includes a plethora of cultivars both mild and hot, including bell peppers and jalapeños. The majority of peppers that you can think of all come from this one species.
And they all range in the heat they deliver!
From Capsicums or Bell Peppers ( these guys have no heat as they do not contain capsaicin)
Then there are the more recognised ones like Jalapenos and Birds Eye chili's and these guys do pack a bit of a punch and are the main ones found in Mexican food or Asian food..Aand then we come to ones that sound innocent enough like a Scotch Bonnet which will pack a punch!!
At least the chili's that have been deemed to be the hottest on record have names that indicate DANGER the top 3 hottest chili's as decided by the Guinness book of records are:
"Carolina Reaper" , "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion" and "Trinidad Douglah"
Apart from eating chili's fresh you can also add them to your cooking in the way of sauces or known as Hot Sauce
We all have heard of Tabasco sauce or even Asian Sweet Chili style sauces and they are an easy way to add flavour.
There are sauces available now that have way more heat and the market is growing and growing with great recipes and some super clever marketing with the brands out there!
"Blairs Ultra Death Sauce" sounds pretty appetizing!!
The other way to get some more heat in your cooking is with powdered or dried chili and this is usually known as Cayenne Pepper and it is easy to sprinkle a little over your food.
If heat is a problem ( like it is for me) Do not be deceived by this innocent looking powder - it does pack a huge punch, so if you are heat sensitive and you are using Cayenne Pepper...You need very little and I will always measure it and our 1/8th of a Teaspoon measuring spoon comes in super handy.
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