If you want your chilis mildly hot instead of very hot

November 19, 2009 • Hello. I am currently out of the country and unable to respond to comments and e-mails. Rest assured, however, that future posts have been scheduled so new recipes will go live almost everyday during my absence. I'll be back soon with lots of stories and photos. Ciao for now! ~ Connie

Contrary to popular belief, flavors of chili peppers vary. Some are sweet, some are smoky, some are even slightly bitter. The spiciness varies too. There are times when we add chilis in our dishes not so much for added spice but to capture other flavors. There are times too when we add them for color. In these instances, we want a lot of chilis but we do not want to be overwhelmed with the spiciness. While some people swear that spiciness makes a dish more appetizing, there are also studies that say too much spice and the tongue loses its ability to savor other flavors.

Slit the chili lengthwise and scrape off the seeds

So what do we do when we want all those reds and greens in our dishes but not the corresponding spiciness? A trick I learned from watching TV — scrape off the seeds. An invaluable tip from Nigella Lawson. Slit the pepper lengthwise and scrape off the seeds with a knife or a teaspoon.

Chop the chilis to desired texture

Then proceed to cut the peppers to the desired coarseness of fineness. A mezzaluna works best but a nicely curved knife will do the trick too.

Chopped chilis

Now, if there is one thing I learned from all the years of cutting and chopping chilis, it is never to touch your face, especially around the eyes, or any sensitive part of your body without washing you hands thoroughly after handling chilis. The hotness of chilis is not something that can be tasted by the mouth exclusively. Don’t believe me? Try it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. :)

October 30, 2008  Print This Post   
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Comments

6 Responses to “If you want your chilis mildly hot instead of very hot”
  1. Rose says:
    October 30, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    I remember a time when I accidentally touched the inside of my nostrils after I’ve been chopping chillies… that’s not something I ever want to happen again!

    I’ve heard that the white membranes of chillies provide heat as well, so I always scrape them off when I’m cooking for people who can’t have hot food.

    Reply
  2. Connie says:
    October 30, 2008 at 7:50 pm

    My brother has the worst experience, I think. He touched a more sensitive body part when he went to the bathroom after chopping peppers. LOL

    Reply
  3. Haley says:
    October 31, 2008 at 5:52 am

    i have made the mistake of touching my face after chopping peppers… not good. i always hear that you should wear gloves, but i hate wearing gloves when cooking. i want to touch and feel the food i am preparing.

    Reply
  4. Janice says:
    October 31, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Just want to ask where did you bought the mezzaluna chopper? Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Connie says:
    October 31, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Janice, my husband bought it. Cash & Carry, if I remember correctly.

    Reply
  6. Hazel says:
    November 5, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    I made the mistake of taking out my contact lenses right after I handled some green chillies. Ouch! I felt like my eyeball was on fire! And to think I already washed my hands with soap. I had to use my knuckles to get the other one out.

    Reply
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