Chiles

Chiles, or chile peppers, grow on plants in the Capsicum genus. Most are annuals. They originated in Mexico and have become an important flavoring and ingredient of cuisines in many places, including most of the Subcontinent. Chiles may be used fresh or dried, left whole or slit, chopped, or minced. (“Slit” means a slash cut lengthwise from just below the stem end, without cutting the chile into pieces.) Dried chiles may be crumbled to a powder (see cayenne powder). The hotness of chiles is determined by the amount of capsaicin they contain. The seeds contain more capsaicin than the flesh, so some recipes call for stripping out the seeds and membrane to produce a milder dish. (Cooks who love chile heat tend to leave the seeds in.) To strip chiles, cut lengthwise, then use the tip of a small spoon to scrape out seeds and membranes. The capsaicin level depends not only on the variety of chile but also on the climate where it is grown: Hotter weather produces hotter chiles. Most chiles are green as they grow, turning to red as they ripen. The riper the chile, the hotter and sweeter it is. Chiles are rich in Vitamin C.