There is a Galician saying, ‘Os pimientos de Padrón, uns pican e outros non’, that roughly translates as ‘some Padrón peppers are hot, some are not’. These little peppers look deceptively like diminutive green capsicums. They are deep-fried and served with a little salt, both of which intensify their herbal sweetness. One in ten, however, is blisteringly hot. With the chances of crunching into a hot Padrón so high, eating a plate of these is a bit like playing vegetable Russian roulette. Apart from the excitement of the gamble, the milder Padróns have a beautiful intense flavour and a lovely texture, which is between firm and fried. They can be found in major metropolitan markets.