All over the world, there are over 4000 different varieties of chilli with varying spice levels used for different purposes. Some like to eat them whole as a snack while most use them chopped fresh or dried and smoked, mashed into a paste or steeped in oil for various dishes from curries and stir-fries to salads. Even the leaves of the chilli plant are used in many stir-fry dishes.
Chilli plants have been harvested for over 10,000 years for their spicy and vibrant fruits. While most mammals avoid the plant for the spiciness of its capsaicin compounds, humans love the sensation. The heat activates nerve receptors in the mouth, which can release endorphins and create that sense of excitement or thrill.
A Spicy Defence Mechanism
Plants depend on animals and birds to spread their seeds across regions for their species to thrive. They have evolved to either attract carriers like the sweet aroma and taste of fruits or to repel some animals like the pungent odour of garlic. All flavours and aromas that we experience are these flavour compounds that plants carry. Chillies evolved with a unique defence mechanism with capsaicin compounds in the fruit that animals found to hurt them and would steer away. While this might seem like a failure, this evolution was designed to attract birds. The chilli peppers grew in a unique way where they defy gravity and grow upright pointing towards the sky making it easy for birds to notice them. And unlike mammals, birds don’t have capsaicin receptors in their mouths, so they can't actually taste the spice. This gave the chilli an advantage as mammals could only distribute the seeds over a short distance while birds flew over a larger region.
The Scoville Scale
Chilli peppers range from mild to extremely spicy and the heat is recognised by the Scoville scale. Invented in 1912 by pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville, the scale expresses the level of heat of a chilli based on the levels of capsaicin in it through SHU or Scoville Heat Units. Fun fact - While most people think that the spiciest part of the chilli is its seeds, the highest concentration of capsaicin is actually in the white inner lining of the chilli known as the ‘pith’.
Different Kinds of Chilli
The diversity of chili peppers is vast, and each variety contributes unique characteristics to culinary dishes, ranging from mild and sweet to extremely hot and spicy. Some well-known chili varieties include Jalapeño, Habanero, Poblano, Thai Bird's Eye, Anaheim, and Cayenne, but there are many more cultivated and enjoyed globally.
Jalapeño
Mexico; ~10,000 SHU
Jalapeño is one of the most popular chilli varieties from Mexico with moderate levels of spiciness along with a slightly sour taste. It was named after the city of Jalapa which is the modern day Xalapa de Enríquez in Mexico. The pods are usually plucked when green giving the pepper a crunchy texture making it perfect for salads, salsa or stuffed peppers.
While a major part of Mexican cuisine, Jalapeños are ideal to be used in a lot of dishes. It is one of the most common toppings for pizzas, burgers and wraps. However, since a lot of people don’t like the sharp heat, it is toned down by pickling sliced jalapeños in a brine of vinegar and salt. The brine can also be seasoned with pepper, mustard seeds, garlic or herbs. Let the brine come to a boil and simmer the jalapeño slices in it for around 5 minutes. Allow it to cool down and store it in a mason jar.
Jalapeños are also a great choice for stuffed peppers as they are not too spicy but do have a kick. Remove the heads of fresh jalapeños and hollow them out with a spring knife. Mix cream cheese with onions, herbs and chopped chorizo or salami and stuff inside the pepper. Grill for around 20-30 minutes.
Ripe red jalapeños are often smoke-dried to make the popular Chipotle which is used as a primary seasoning throughout Mexican cuisine.
Cayenne
Guyana; ~40,000 SHU
Chilli de Cayenne or Cayenne pepper is one of the most popular spices. The name of the chilli comes from the city of Cayenne in Guyana which was founded by French settlers. It was exported from the port of Cayenne to Europe and therefore is most commonly used in European kitchens.
The chilli grows into a thin-walled and long red fruit which makes it easier to dry. Cayenne is usually dried and ground into a powder for use. As it dries, it develops a slightly smoky and bitter taste which is excellent for seasoning sauces and stews.
The heat of Cayenne chilli is also ideal for making chilli oil. Add dried cayenne peppers to a bowl, pour hot oil over them and let it steep for a few hours. You can also add garlic, onion, curry leaves or spices for additional flavour. Use a good quality neutral oil like sunflower oil, safflower oil or peanut oil. Strain and store in a mason jar.
Bird’s Eye Chilli
Africa & Southeast Asia; 100,000 SHU
Also known as Thai Chilli or Piri Piri Pepper, the tiny green or red chillies are one of the spicier kinds that are commonly used across the world. The Bird’s Eye Chilli is native to Ethiopia and Southeast Asia where it also grows in the wild. It is a key ingredient in Thai cuisine used for almost all dishes either chopped for a stir fry, slit or whole in a salad or pounded into a curry paste. Even in Vietnam, it is common to add spice to hot pots or stews with bird’s eye chillies.
Similar to Jalapeño, thai chillies are also pickled whole in brine to preserve them over a longer period and to tone down the heat with a hint of sourness.
Bird’s Eye chillies are often dried and filled in spice mills. Due to their intense heat, a little goes a long way and a few cranks of the spice mill are enough for depth in flavour. The dried chillies are also commonly used as a powder in African cooking, perfect as a dry rub for meat or a seasoning for stews. One of the best ways to use it is a dry rub for Piri Piri Roast Chicken with the skin on. The spice seeps deep through the crisp skin adding a layer of flavour to the fat.
