Red, hot chilli pepper (Chili)

Member Name: genmil

Product:	Chili
Date:	04/11/08 (568 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Heat is good

Disadvantages: Don't get burnt.

I love chillies and I have just pureed some home grown chilli with garlic to be used as a dip for a later date. And it was very hot, my tongue was on fire. You would think that the quickest remedy to soothe the hot chilli effect is cold water, well, not necessary. I remembered having a discussion with my friends about the best remedy to soothe your tongue is slightly hot water. I did just that and it works, in a matter of minutes the hotness disappear. The water should not be lukewarm but slightly hot but not burning and when the water rest in your mouth, you could instantly feel a tingly sensation in your tongue. Believe me, glasses of cold water wouldn't give instant relief but a filled stomach. There are also other ways to soothe the hear, such as cream, milk and yogurt which explain their presence as an accompaniment in chilli dishes.

There are about 400 types of chillies and most are cultivated in the Far East, South America and Caribbean. , India and Mexico. It is common knowledge that the smaller the chilli the hotter it is. Chilli varieties like bird eyes chilli,, apache, Caribbean red, Habanero and Naga are probably one of the hottest variety available. The face of chilli growing is changing, in 2006; the hottest chilli in the world was developed by a Dorset chilli grower. The world's hottest chilli is called Dorset Naga and it is twice as hot as the previous record holder, Naga Jolokia in India. It is said that anyone who dare to eat the whole chilli on its own will definitely need hospital treatment.

There is something about the thermal effect of hot chilli. The capsaicin found in chillies provides this thermal effect, speeding up the metabolic rate. As such, there is also a weight loss program that uses chilli as part of the regime of burning calories. I am sceptical about this claim and I don't think it will work on me.

Vitamin A, a potent antioxidant is present in chillies. Chillies also have large quantities of vitamin C. The heat inducing properties in chillies is also known to clear a stuffy nose and cold. Try eating hot chilli dishes like hot curry in a warm environment, you will sweat and then your nose runs, suddenly your will head clear and you can breathe easily.

However, overeating of chilli could also cause pain and discomfort in the stomach. Personally, I will not eat chilli when I have a sore throat as I feel the heat from the chilli might aggravate the condition.

Chillies can be consumed raw or used as flavouring in cooking. When eaten raw, it is always good to remove the seeds as it is one of the main heat sources. Personally, I will leave a couple of seeds behind to maintain a certain level of heat. Chillies are often made into sauces to add more spice to the dish. My favourite chilli sauces are Encona which is a Carribean chilli sauce (hot), Maggie sweet chilli sauce (sweet and quite hot) and some Thai branded chilli sauce.

Chilli can be dried and stored. Dried chillies are usually grind into powder for curries. Whole dried chillies can be found in Chinese cooking especially in the Kung Po and Szechuan dishes. Dried chilli flakes are sprinkle onto pastas and pizza in Italian cooking. Raw chilli can be kept in the fridge for about a month. I store raw chillies in the freezer which I would use over a period of 3 month.

Handle chilli according to your threshold for heat. Start with the mildest chilli and work your way up the heat factor. You could get so used to it that you can't do without it.

Summary: Work your way through the heat factor.