Chilli Peppers

Imports. Widely available in supermarkets.

Few of the world’s many fascinating varieties of hot green or red chilli pepper reach our shops. We get green ones, either tiny or small, and perfectly serviceable in a whole range of Chinese, Indian, South East Asian, Middle Eastern, Afro-Caribbean and Latin American dishes. What we are missing is the surprising subtlety in the differences of flavour underneath the common denominator of a certain degree of heat.

Of the few speciality types sometimes available, the Caribbean bonnet peppers (like minute Tam o’Shanters) are searingly wonderful.