Fresh chili adds some zest to familiar dishes
Do you grow your own chilis or have you eyed them in the store, but do not know where and how to use them? With chili, you can add a new taste nuance to your mashed potatoes, chocolate cake, and fruit salad. To make sure all the flavours are balanced, add the chili to your food little by little to get just the right hotness.
How to add chili to your food?
While chili powder may be familiar to many, fresh chili is definitely something to be explored. Its taste is much fresher and more nuanced than that of the powder. Start out by adding just a bit of chili and let the flavours sink in for a little while, then taste and decide if you want to add more. This way you will achieve the perfect balance of taste and hotness. To evenly distribute the taste and hotness, chop the pod very finely. To chop larger quantities, a mixer is recommended. If your dish got too hot, adding some salt, sugar or lemon juice helps to balance the hotness of the chili well.
The hotness of chili varieties and their lingering in the mouth vary greatly. Capsaicin, which gives chili its hotness, is found most in the white seed layers of chili, from where it is also transferred to the surface of the seeds. If you want to keep the hotness moderate, halve the chili pod and scrape out the seeds along with the seed attachments using, for example, a small spoon. When cleaning the chili, use disposable rubber gloves and avoid rubbing your eyes. Should you get some chili in your eye, it will burn a lot, but is not dangerous for you.
Five smart ways to use chili
- In ice cubes: puree the chilis with a little water and freeze in ice cube moulds. Add to soups and stews for an instant zest.
- In seasoning oil: put a halved chili pod in cooking oil and let season for a few days. The resulting oil goes well in salads and marinades.
- Perk up your salads with some chili as well. With the weather getting warmer, we usually feel like having more fresh salads. Make your classic cabbage and carrot coleslaw instantly more exciting by seasoning it with some Asian-style chili.
- The spicy Devil's jam is a sweet and spicy jam of tomatoes and chili that goes perfectly with chicken dishes, pizza and cheese. If you mix the jam with sour cream or thick yogurt, you will get an excellent dip to go with crispy snacks.
- Chili does not have to remain the domain of savoury dishes only. Feel free to experiment with chili in pastries as well! Chili and dark chocolate, for example, are a great match!
