|
|
| The Scoville
scale is used
to rate the
hotness of chilies:
Mild red bell
peppers rate
a zero
all the way
up to habaneros
at over 100,000
heat units.
The
heat that peppers
impart comes
from an alkaloid
compound called
capsaicin, which
is manufactured
in the ribs
of the chili
pepper. Capsaicin
itself doesn't
have any flavor;
it stimulates
the pain receptors
in your mouth
rather than
your taste buds.
The way
to really keep
the heat down
is to remove
these spongy
inner parts.
The seeds usually
absorb capsaicin
from resting
near the ribs,
so it's best
to remove those,
too.
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|
Pure Capsaicin
|
Scoville Units
|
Chile Example
|
Similar Spice
|
|
10+
|
300,000 - 1,000,000
|
Habanero Red Savina
...
|
|
|
10
|
100,000 -
300,000
|
Habanero...
|
|
|
9
|
50,000 -
100,000
|
Santaka...
|
|
|
8
|
30,000 -
50,000
|
Cayenne...
|
crushed red pepper flakes
|
|
7
|
15,000 -
30,000
|
Arbol...
|
crushed red pepper flakes
|
|
6
|
5,000 -
15,000
|
Serrano
|
Tabasco Sauce
|
|
5
|
2,500 -
5,000
|
Jalapeno
|
Cayenne; Louisiana hot sauce
|
|
4
|
1,500 -
2,500
|
Cascabel...
|
|
|
3
|
1,000 -
1,500
|
Pasilla, Poblano, Ancho
|
Old Bay Seasoning
|
|
2
|
500 -
1,000
|
canned green chiles
|
chili powder
|
|
1
|
100 -
500
|
Cherry, Peperoncini
|
pickled Peperoncini
|
|
0
|
0 -
100
|
Pimiento, bell, sweet
Banana
|
U.S. paprika
|
|
Use Caution In Handling Chile Peppers
|
|
All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning
sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even
induce perspiration. Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's ribs
and seeds, making them hotter thanthe rest of the
pepper.
You can reduce the amount of heat in a chili pepper by removing the ribs and
seeds. Capsaicinoids have no flavor or odor, but act directly on
the pain receptors in the mouth and throat. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin,
is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a
blistering of the tongue.Capsaicin is the heat factor in chilies that is
used medically to produce deep-heating rubs for treating sports injuries and
arthritic therapies.
Hot peppers can cause burning or nasty
irritations if your hands or fingers come in contact with touch
eyes and other sensitive parts of the body. When
using hot chili peppers, wear gloves to protect your hands because
the oils, capsaicin, in the peppers. Gloves that physicians use are more
practical than kitchen gloves, because they are thinner and adhere to your hands
more tightly.
If chilies do come in contact with your bare
hands, wash thoroughly with soapy water. When grinding dried chilies, beware of
the chili dust in the air, which will irritate eyes and
throats.
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Its a good idea to use gloves or put plastic baggies over you hands to avoid
getting the hot oils on you skin. Alternatively, if nothing else is available, you can try
to protect your hands by
coating them lightly with vegetable oil as a barrier. Never touch your eyes
or mouth, or any part of your body when
handling hot peppers.
Putting Out The Fire
On your skin: Water only spreads the fire
so don't wash your hand until you neutralize
the`heat. Capsaicin —
the compound
that gives peppers
their heat isn't soluble in water,
but
chlorine or ammonia turns it into a salt, which IS soluble in water. In a little bowl add
1 part bleach to 5 parts water and just dip your
hands quickly, but don't soak your hands in this solution
or it may irritate your skin.
In your mouth: Many people recommend drinking tomato juice or eating a fresh lemon or lime, the
theory being that the acid counteracts the alkalinity of the capsaicin.
Dairy
products are
a good antidote
to overheating.
Capsaicin
dissolves easily
in the fats
found in dairy
products. So
when you put
a dab of sour
cream in your
mouth along
with (or after)
a bite of hot
stuff, you're
adding pretty
effective dilution.
The capsaicin
and dairy fats
mix together,
keeping some
of the capsaicin
molecules from
finding the
pain receptors
on your tongue.
Remember, though,
it's the fat
that provides
the relief,
so don't expect
the same results
from low-fat
sour cream or
nonfat yogurts.
This antidote
tones down many
spicy cuisines,
from the use
of sour cream
with Mexican
food to the
yogurt condiments
eaten with Indian
meals. In Thai
cuisine, rich
coconut milk
serves much
the same purpose,
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