Understanding Chili Peppers And Mexican Food
Learning to use the Scoville Heat Index can help you choose the right chili peppers for your kitchen. Think about making a giant pot of chili on a cold evening or some other yummy Mexican recipe. While your family may like a bit of spice, do you know which peppers to choose?
Wilbur Scoville came up with the Scoville Heat Index in 1912. His scale measures the amount of capsaicin found in each type of pepper. Capsaicin is what gives a pepper its heat. The scale ranges from zero, which covers bell peppers all the way up to over a million. A cayenne pepper gives you around 30,000 units and a jalapeno gives you about 2,500 units of heat. If you buy a Red Savina Habanero, however, you will find yourself dealing with a whopping 350,000 to 580,000 on the scale.
However, let us get back to your kettle of chili; how hot should it be? Does your family think cayenne peppers are good for snacking or are jalapenos more their style? While it may be fun to watch chili contests designed to create the hottest chili ever, is this what will pass for dinner at your house? Knowing the preferences of your family will help you choose the right chili to do the job.
Are you thinking about using some of that string of dried peppers in your kitchen the next time you make tacos? Remember that dried chilies are more powerful than their fresh counterparts are. Flavors are condensed when the food is dried. Be careful you do not overwhelm your mouth’s pain receptors by using the same measurements of dried pepper as you would chopped fresh ones.
If you are taking advantage of fresh peppers in the summer, take care to remove the inner membranes and seeds. While most people think that the seeds hold most of the heat, it is actually the membranes you need to worry about most. Use a spoon to scrape them out.
Some chilies are considered toxic to your skin and mucous membranes, so if you are working with strong peppers use eye protection and a pair of thin vinyl gloves on your hands. When you get the juice from them on hands and then innocently wipe your hair from your face or rub your eyes you can suffer greatly without these precautions. Avoid touching anywhere on your face when working with peppers.
Have you figured out which one to use in your chili yet? If you are well-versed in making Mexican food, you will have a good idea of which ones you like best. The Mexican people have elevated the use of chilies into a work of art. They have developed their skills over many centuries of relying on the pepper as part of their cuisine.
If you find that your recipe is too hot, do not worry. Bread, milk, and chocolate all help calm down the fire in your mouth. Water will make it worse, so while you may be tempted to grab a glass of ice water, do not. Serve some sour cream, yogurt sauce, or bread with your meal in case anyone is overwhelmed by the heat. You may be surprised that most people will go back for more after cooling themselves down.
A lot of authentic Mexican recipes have stood the test of time and remained popular. Chalupas are one of these recipes. You can make chalupas at home for your family to enjoy and they are very easy to put together because you can use readymade corn tortillas for them and your favorite fillings.
