A CHILLI IN DIFFERENT WAYS
From being hailed as a nifty cooking ingredient to a fat-buster, there’s a lot that can be done with the humble chilli
Chillies are probably the most commonly used ingredients in cooking processes the world over. They can be had in fresh or dried form and are used in everything from pickling to sauces, roasted, fried, in a masala blend, as a topping on pizza and in desserts too! And forget any anti-viral drugs, chillies are known as one of the flufighting foods, so in this ‘chilly’ season add chillies to your food. Capsaicin in chillies acts a decongestant and can work well to clear a blocked nose. TASTE TESTThe sure-fire way to guage the ‘hotness’ of a chilli is by its size. The usual rule of thumb is, the smaller the chilli the hotter it is!
THAI SWEET CHILLI SAUCE Ingredients >>
Garlic cloves — 2 large, peeled >> Red peppers — 2 >> Brown
vinegar— 4 tbsp >> Sugar — ½ cup sugar >> Water — 1 small
cup >> Salt — ½ tbsp >> Cornstarch — 1 tbsp >> Water —
3 tbsp
Method Blend together all the ingredients, except for the water and cornstarch. Now bring this to a boil. Simmer to thicken. Mix the cornstarch and water and beat this into the boiled mixture. Let this cool and then store it in a jar in the fridge. ©Corbis
Method Blend together all the ingredients, except for the water and cornstarch. Now bring this to a boil. Simmer to thicken. Mix the cornstarch and water and beat this into the boiled mixture. Let this cool and then store it in a jar in the fridge. ©Corbis
RED HOT CHILLI DIP Ingredients >>
Cashews, ground — 1 cup >> Tomatoes — ½ cup, chopped >> Red
pepper — ½ >> Red chillies — 2, deseeded and chopped >>
Light olive oil — ¼ cup
THAI SALAD >>
Garlic — 2 cloves >> Red chillies — 2 >> Crushed peanuts — 2
tbsp >> Palm sugar — 2 tbsp (mixed with a little water) or
>> Sugar — 1 tsp >> Lemon juice — 2 tbsp >> Fish sauce
— 2 tbsp >> Finely chopped tomato — 1 >> Green beans — ¼
cup >> Bird’s eye chillies — a few >> Green papaya— ½
Method: Peel and grate the papaya. Chop tomatoes, garlic and chillies (length ways) and put in a bowl. Crush green beans and add to it. Now, add finely cut papaya, crushed peanuts, fish sauce, lemon juice and sugar and mix well. Serve.
Method: Peel and grate the papaya. Chop tomatoes, garlic and chillies (length ways) and put in a bowl. Crush green beans and add to it. Now, add finely cut papaya, crushed peanuts, fish sauce, lemon juice and sugar and mix well. Serve.
CHOCOLATE CHILLI ICE CREAM
Ingredients >> Serves: 8 >> Caster sugar — 150 g >> Milk — 225 ml >> Salt — a pinch >> Cinnamon, powdered — 1 tsp >> Cocoa powder—2½ tbsp >> Egg — 3 yolks, beaten >> Dark chocolate bar — 100 g >> Chillies — a few broken into small pieces >> Light cream — 450 ml
Method Boil the sugar, milk, salt and cocoa powder in a pan and simmer. Put egg yolks in a bowl and the boiled hot liquid to it. Stir and retransfer to the saucepan. Heat till it thickens. Remove and add in the chocolate and chillies. rigerate, then remove and add cream and beat it.
Ingredients >> Serves: 8 >> Caster sugar — 150 g >> Milk — 225 ml >> Salt — a pinch >> Cinnamon, powdered — 1 tsp >> Cocoa powder—2½ tbsp >> Egg — 3 yolks, beaten >> Dark chocolate bar — 100 g >> Chillies — a few broken into small pieces >> Light cream — 450 ml
Method Boil the sugar, milk, salt and cocoa powder in a pan and simmer. Put egg yolks in a bowl and the boiled hot liquid to it. Stir and retransfer to the saucepan. Heat till it thickens. Remove and add in the chocolate and chillies. rigerate, then remove and add cream and beat it.
THIS ONE IS THE HOTTEST! The
spiciest chilli pepper on earth has been identified as the Trinidad
Moruga Scorpion. While a normal jalapeno for example ranks about 5,000
units on the Scoville heat scale, this one goes above more than 1.2
million units! The Indian Bhut Jolokia, from Assam, had got the Guiness
World Records’ recognition as the world’s hottest chilli in 2007.
HOMEMADE CHILLI OIL Ingredients >> Olive oil—450ml >> Red chilli
flakes — 20g >> Whole dried red chillies — 3 to 4
Method Warm the olive oil and add chilli flakes and whole chillies to it. Remove and cool slightly. Pour this into a sealable glass bottle with a funnel. Seal and use over time. Can keep for a few weeks.
flakes — 20g >> Whole dried red chillies — 3 to 4
Method Warm the olive oil and add chilli flakes and whole chillies to it. Remove and cool slightly. Pour this into a sealable glass bottle with a funnel. Seal and use over time. Can keep for a few weeks.
RED OR GREEN... WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Yes,
there is a definite difference between both chillies. The red ones are
mellower, while the green variety has a sharper taste and are more
pungent. Also, red chillies are usually dried and then added to water
before a cooking process. On the other hand, green chillies are used
directly.
HOW TO DE-SEED >>
Place the chilli on a cutting board and hold the end stem with your
fingers. >> With a small sharp knife split it lengthways. >>
Carefully lift out the membrane and remove the seeds. >> NOTE:
Leave the membrane inside the chilli if you want your dish to be spicy.
THEY’RE GOOD FOR HEALTH TOO!
Research says that not only do they protect the stomach lining and are able to prevent gastric damage, but can help burn fat due to capsaicin content. They have vitamins A and C. Studies say chillies may also be able to prevent diabetes and boost metabolism.
Research says that not only do they protect the stomach lining and are able to prevent gastric damage, but can help burn fat due to capsaicin content. They have vitamins A and C. Studies say chillies may also be able to prevent diabetes and boost metabolism.
DID YOU KNOW? In
cold weather, a little chilli powder sprinkled into your socks will
keep your feet warm all day. Experienced skiers use this trick, but it
also works if you don’t wear ski boots.
