Next time you see a chili pepper in the grocery store, do you reach for the jalapeño, assuming it is the mildest varieties? Have you ever found yourself confused by the difference between a bell pepper and a chili pepper? For all of you out there who is confused by the variety of chilies and their heat level, a heat chart for chili peppers might just be what you need to make informed choice when it comes to cooking with these delicious yet potentially dangerous vegetables.
The heat of chilies come from the compound capsaicin. This compound trigger the nerves in your mouth and the body to believe that your mouth is on fire. Some chilies has different flavor profiles than others, for example, some are fruity while others are smokily.
Chili Pepper Heat Guide
Based on their heat levels, they can be categorized as mild, warm, hot, fiery, or extreme in strength. Peppers that are consider to be mild include bell peppers and banana peppers. These types of peppers is great for those who are sensitive to spicy food and for children.
Some varieties that are categorized as warm include jalapeño and Anaheims peppers. Jalapeños contain the seed and membrane that contain the bulk of the capsaicin compound. By removing these seeds and membranes, the heat of the pepper can be reduce.
These peppers are good for those who would like to incorporate a spicy flavor into their meal on a regular basis. Peppers that are considered to be hot include serranos and cayennes. Cayenne peppers are often dry and ground into a powder for use in recipes.
These chilies are often used in flavoring dish such as salsas, guacamole, and sauces. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños and are often used in sauces and chili bean. These peppers have a slightly stronger heat then jalapeños.
Habaneros and Scotch bonnets is considered to be fiery peppers with strong fruity flavor. These peppers are used in dishes like jerk chicken and hot sauce. Bird’s eye chilies, such as Thai bird’s eye chilies, are the smallest pepper but contain powerful heat.
These are used in popular Thai stir-fry dish. The extreme category include peppers like the ghost pepper, the Moruga scorpion, and the Carolina Reaper. These chilies contain over a million Scoville unit of heat which can cause a grown man to sweat through his shirt.
The Carolina Reaper hold the world record for heat content. People often seek out these pepper for bragging rights and for incorporate their extract into hot sauces. There have even been instance of individuals requiring medical attention after consuming these peppers.
Such peppers can cause a burn that last for hours. Peppers categorized as ghost pepper are native to Mexico. Scotch bonnets is from the Caribbean while ghost peppers is from India.
Bird’s eye chilies are from Thailand and are a part of the Thai curry dishes that are popular throughout the Southeast Asian region of the continent. These peppers are thought to have traveled to the New World after Columbus’ journey to the New World. While there are a variety of peppers within the continent, there are also a variety of pepper outside of the U.S. These peppers have a variety of origin but have traveled to create the thousands of varieties of peppers that is cultivated today in both the U.S. And the rest of the world.
Regardless of where the peppers originate, certain precaution must be taken in order to handle these peppers effectively. Always wear glove when handling these peppers because the capsaicin compound can stick to your skin, especially your eyes. If your mouth is burned by the peppers, do not drink water as this will spread the pepper oil throughout your body.
Instead, drink milk or yogurt to break down the capsaicin. Ice will help to reducing the burn that is felt on your skin. When preparing the peppers, ensure that you have adequate ventilation in your kitchen to avoid breathing in the fumes give off by these peppers.
Store ground dried pepper in an airtight container. Cook peppers over low heat rather than high heat to allow for the flavor to develop rather than the peppers burning in the pan. Depending on the flavor you would like your food to have, you can use different pepper.
For example, bell peppers can be roasted and add to fajitas. Banana peppers can be preserved in vinegar and used on sandwiches. Serranos can be prepared into salsas.
Habaneros can be added to sauces to provide a kick to your chilies. Cayenne pepper powder can be added to butter to make spicy wing. Additionally, a speck of the ghost pepper can be added to chili for an extreme flavoring.
These peppers are categorized in a heat chart for variety of cuisine and flavoring recipes. By understanding the different types of peppers and what they can be used for, you can better prepare your meal.