Green chiles

Fresh green chiles are used extensively in Indian cooking, either whole, split, minced, or puréed with other ingredients depending on, aside from textural considerations, the amount of heat desired: Whole chiles lend their flavor without imparting too much heat to a curry, for example. The best substitute for the long, slender Indian green chiles are serranos, which are about the size and thickness of your finger, medium-dark green, and a bit hotter than jalapeños. To store chiles, pull off and discard the stems, rinse them, then pat them dry (or let them sit on a sunny countertop on a clean towel to air-dry for an hour or so), wrap in paper towels, and store in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator; they’ll keep for several weeks. Alternatively, store them whole or minced in the freezer for several months, thawing only as many as you need at a time.