Handling Your Chilies: The Impact on Flavor and Heat

When it comes to using chilies in your cooking, how you handle them can greatly affect the flavor and heat of the final application. In this case, we're making a standard tomato salsa featuring six Roma tomatoes, four cloves of garlic, half of a red onion, and a red bell pepper that's actually a chili. To begin, let's talk about the importance of protecting yourself from the sticky substance found in chilies, which can stick to your tools, cutting board, and even your hands.

Capsicum, the substance responsible for this stickiness, is a sticky stuff molecularly speaking. Once it gets on your tools or skin, it can hang around for days and even resist soap and water. In fact, I've experienced firsthand how stubborn capsicum can be when I cut myself while handling chilies and ended up putting chili juice in my contact lenses. It was quite an unpleasant experience, but one that taught me to handle chilies with care.

Now, let's talk about the anatomy of a chili pepper. Believe it or not, chilies are technically berries, belonging to the same family as tomatoes and peppers. They share a light bulb-like anatomy with these fruits, having a cluster of seeds replacing the filament in their reproductive system. This is no surprise, given their shared evolutionary history.

When working with chilies, it's essential to remove the ribs and inner membrane, which can be indigestible and unpleasantly textured. By doing so, you'll be left with just the fruit itself, allowing you to create whatever dish you desire – whether that's dicing, mincing, or simply using them as is.

One of the most significant effects of handling chilies is how it manipulates heat levels. Capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in chilies, is produced in the inner membranes and ribs of the pepper. By removing these parts, you can significantly reduce the heat level of your dish. Conversely, if you leave the seeds and membrane intact, you'll retain more capsaicin and a spicier flavor.

So, how do you remove the seeds and membrane from chilies? There are several methods to choose from, each yielding different results. One approach is to simply clip or cut the top off the pepper, removing the seeds and membrane as you go. This method works well for small to medium-sized peppers and can be a good starting point for beginners.

Another technique involves cutting the pepper in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds and membrane with a spoon or your finger. Be sure to remove as much of the seeds and membrane as possible, as any remaining bits can still cause discomfort. If you're particularly sensitive to capsaicin, it's worth taking an extra moment to ensure that every last bit is removed.

For those who prefer a fruitier approach with less heat, there's another method to consider: pressing the pepper down flat on your cutting board or surface. This allows you to shave off just the outer layer of skin and membrane, retaining more of the chili's natural flavor while reducing its spiciness. By doing so, you can create a dish that's still spicy but not overwhelming.

Finally, there's an often-overlooked method for handling chilies: roasting them over a flame. This technique is surprisingly effective in bringing out the best flavors and heat levels from your peppers. Simply place the chili pods directly on the burner or grill, allowing them to toast until they're black all the way around. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and membrane, and use the resulting fruit in your recipe.

Roasting chilies can be a game-changer for those looking to add depth and complexity to their dishes without sacrificing heat. The process not only caramelizes the natural sugars in the pepper but also enhances its flavor profile, making it an excellent addition to salsas, sauces, and marinades. Plus, by removing the charred skin, you'll be left with a more palatable texture that's easier on the palate.

Now, let's talk about how many chilies we have here in this particular salsa recipe. With six Roma tomatoes, four cloves of garlic, half of a red onion, and two jalapenos, we've got a solid foundation for a delicious and spicy dish. Of course, feel free to adjust the heat level by using more or fewer peppers – after all, that's one of the best things about cooking with chilies: you can always customize it to your taste.

By handling chilies with care and understanding their unique properties, you'll unlock a world of flavors and heat levels that will elevate your cooking to new heights. So go ahead, experiment with different techniques, and find the perfect balance for your taste buds. Happy cooking!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: encome on in you know how you handle your pods affects the flavor and the heat of the final application in this case a standard tomato salsa featuring six roma tomatoes four cloves of garlic one half of a red onion and a red bell pepper which is actually a chili there's also a tablespoon of olive oil the juice of one lime a little chili powder or chili powder if you like salt pepper and some fresh herbs scallions here but cilantro parsley will be fine too since there's no sugar and very little fat here i've steered clear of the more incendiary pods settled with two jalapenos okay now before you poke around the pod don protection capsicum is sticky stuff molecularly speaking and once it's on your tools your cutting board or your hands it can hang around for days can even resist soap and water one day about two hours after cutting some chilis i put in my contact lenses sounded something like this okay we cut since they're technically berries all members of the capsicum family including this red bell pepper which is really a chili share a light bulb like anatomy with a cluster of seeds replacing the filament there's no surprise there now the seed clusters almost always attach to the side of the fruit with ribs now in the case of this red bell pepper which is actually a chili these ribs and the inner membrane don't bring anything tasty to the party just indigestible fibers so we remove just like that that's going to leave you with nothing but the fruit which you can then fabricate however you choose dice mint julienne etc now if you were to remove these same pieces from a hot chili like this jalapeno you would manipulate the heat level quite a bit that's because capsaicin is produced well it's easier to show you on this here in a set of glands yes berries have glands and that accumulates in the inner membranes including the ribs so with this knowledge in mind you definitely have some different heat options here start by clipping them and cutting them in half and then getting rid of the seeds i like to just use a teaspoon for this just scoot them out you don't take them out so much because they're hot but because they're indigestible and hard and nasty there now if you were to just chop this up fine mince it in fact you would have all of the heat of that inner membrane and since you would have a greater surface area there would be more capsaicin for your taste buds to latch onto right now if you prefer say a fruitier approach with less heat just take this half and press it down flat on your board and then do the same thing you did to the bell pepper which is actually chili just shave off that membrane don't turn the blade down just press it down now this is a completely different animal than this and if you were to chop into slightly larger pieces you'd have a salsa with two different effects heat and fruit here you want a third option okay you could roast it no roaster no believe me you've got a roaster there's one of these in every kitchen don't think so just look around you'll find it and if you've got one of these you have a chili roaster just place the pods directly in and set on your burner now summon forth the btus now the purpose of this burn them just turn and toast directly over the flame until they are black all the way around all right move this to the sink please use tongs it's awfully hot we're going to use the heat that is still in the peppers just put a bowl right on top and in about five minutes the steam is going to loosen the skin which is going to make them much easier to peel okay roaster is ready there we go oh nice and soft now to get the charred skin off either rub these between a couple of layers of paper towel or just wash it off which is what i do and straight into the salsa of course the really nice thing about roasting is that roasting does create sugar and sugar of course is going to help to kind of cool off the chemical fire speaking of how many chilies do i have in this it'll be fine so what we have here is a single salsa featuring four distinct strata or layers of chili heat and flavor okay we've got the high heat of the minced chili that was raw membrane on then we've got the fruitier chopped raw chili that had the membrane removed then we've got the roasted chili and the dried chili which has rehydrated very nicely of course you should feel free to mix and match your pods at will as well as how you treat them you're going to have to experiment yeehaw maybe i should have counted those chilis a little a little bit better youcome on in you know how you handle your pods affects the flavor and the heat of the final application in this case a standard tomato salsa featuring six roma tomatoes four cloves of garlic one half of a red onion and a red bell pepper which is actually a chili there's also a tablespoon of olive oil the juice of one lime a little chili powder or chili powder if you like salt pepper and some fresh herbs scallions here but cilantro parsley will be fine too since there's no sugar and very little fat here i've steered clear of the more incendiary pods settled with two jalapenos okay now before you poke around the pod don protection capsicum is sticky stuff molecularly speaking and once it's on your tools your cutting board or your hands it can hang around for days can even resist soap and water one day about two hours after cutting some chilis i put in my contact lenses sounded something like this okay we cut since they're technically berries all members of the capsicum family including this red bell pepper which is really a chili share a light bulb like anatomy with a cluster of seeds replacing the filament there's no surprise there now the seed clusters almost always attach to the side of the fruit with ribs now in the case of this red bell pepper which is actually a chili these ribs and the inner membrane don't bring anything tasty to the party just indigestible fibers so we remove just like that that's going to leave you with nothing but the fruit which you can then fabricate however you choose dice mint julienne etc now if you were to remove these same pieces from a hot chili like this jalapeno you would manipulate the heat level quite a bit that's because capsaicin is produced well it's easier to show you on this here in a set of glands yes berries have glands and that accumulates in the inner membranes including the ribs so with this knowledge in mind you definitely have some different heat options here start by clipping them and cutting them in half and then getting rid of the seeds i like to just use a teaspoon for this just scoot them out you don't take them out so much because they're hot but because they're indigestible and hard and nasty there now if you were to just chop this up fine mince it in fact you would have all of the heat of that inner membrane and since you would have a greater surface area there would be more capsaicin for your taste buds to latch onto right now if you prefer say a fruitier approach with less heat just take this half and press it down flat on your board and then do the same thing you did to the bell pepper which is actually chili just shave off that membrane don't turn the blade down just press it down now this is a completely different animal than this and if you were to chop into slightly larger pieces you'd have a salsa with two different effects heat and fruit here you want a third option okay you could roast it no roaster no believe me you've got a roaster there's one of these in every kitchen don't think so just look around you'll find it and if you've got one of these you have a chili roaster just place the pods directly in and set on your burner now summon forth the btus now the purpose of this burn them just turn and toast directly over the flame until they are black all the way around all right move this to the sink please use tongs it's awfully hot we're going to use the heat that is still in the peppers just put a bowl right on top and in about five minutes the steam is going to loosen the skin which is going to make them much easier to peel okay roaster is ready there we go oh nice and soft now to get the charred skin off either rub these between a couple of layers of paper towel or just wash it off which is what i do and straight into the salsa of course the really nice thing about roasting is that roasting does create sugar and sugar of course is going to help to kind of cool off the chemical fire speaking of how many chilies do i have in this it'll be fine so what we have here is a single salsa featuring four distinct strata or layers of chili heat and flavor okay we've got the high heat of the minced chili that was raw membrane on then we've got the fruitier chopped raw chili that had the membrane removed then we've got the roasted chili and the dried chili which has rehydrated very nicely of course you should feel free to mix and match your pods at will as well as how you treat them you're going to have to experiment yeehaw maybe i should have counted those chilis a little a little bit better you\n"