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The pungent chilli has played an important role in cuisines the world over, adding a distinctive kick to many a dish.

Hot, hotter, hottest

As a general rule of thumb, the larger the chilli, the milder it is. Smaller chillies tend to be much hotter because they contain proportionally more seeds and veins than the larger varieties. Those seeds and veins can contain up to 80 per cent of a chilli's potency in the form of capsaicin, the powerful compound that gives chillies their fiery nature.

As neither cooking nor freezing reduces the intensity of capsaicin, removing the seeds and veins is the only way to reduce a chilli's heat.

In the US, chillies are rated in Scoville Heat Units, which measure their capsaicin content. While a green capsicum would score 0, Habaneros can hit 300,000 units.

Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties of chillies. They vary in length and size, ranging from long thin ones to plump round ones, and in colour, from yellow through to green and bright red.

Certain chilli varieties are known to be hotter than others, but it's worth bearing in mind that even on the same plant individual fruits can contain different levels of capsaicin. Here's a selection of some of the most common chilli varieties, from the relatively mild to the lip-tinglingly, mouth-burningly hot....

Poblano and Mulato Isleno are mildly hot varieties which develop a deep, sweet flavour and can be used in chiles rellenos (stuffed chillies). Poblanos can be dried and used in the Mexican mole poblano sauce. Elongated New Mexican chillies such as Ortega, as well as the Hungarian Hot Wax, also hold back on the fire and are ideal for use in stews and salsas, much as you'd use a sweet pepper.

Pasillas are long and very dark brown. They're usually sold dried and are ground to add to sauces.

Jalapeños are quite fiery varieties, popular in the US and Mexico. They're commonly used either fresh or pickled in salsa or as a pizza topping. Towards the end of the growing season, when they turn deep red, they're often dried and smoked to make chipotles, which impart a distinctive flavour to salsas and marinades.

Cayenne peppers can grow to 30cm/12in long. They're used mainly in hot sauces and their seeds are dried and ground to make cayenne pepper, a pinch of which can be added to or sprinkled over a variety of dishes, particularly cheesy ones.

Tabasco chillies are slightly hotter, and are used almost entirely in making Tabasco sauce, the distinctive flavour of which comes from a fermentation process in which the chillies are combined with vinegar and salt.

Bird's-eye chillies are proof of the 'smaller equals hotter' rule. These tiny but powerful green and red fruits are especially common in Thai and South-east Asian cooking.

Habanero and Scotch Bonnet chillies are not for the faint-hearted, hitting the top of the heat scale. These lantern-shaped chillies are related but distinct types. Habaneros have a slightly fruity flavour and are usually orange, while the Caribbean Scotch Bonnets vary in colour.

Selecting, storing and preparing chillies

When shopping for chillies, farmers' markets and ethnic stores are the best hunting grounds for more interesting varieties. Look for a smooth, glossy skin that is deep in colour and firm to the touch. Discard any with shrivelled skin, brown marks or watery bruises. Chillies in prime condition can be stored for a week or two in a ventilated plastic bag in the fridge. Chilling affects the flavour, so bring them to room temperature before use.

To prepare fresh chillies, slit them lengthwise, remove the seeds and membranes with the tip of the knife and cut off the stem. Rinse them under cold running water and then prepare according to the recipe.

After working with chillies, it's extremely important to wash your hands thoroughly. Failure to do so can result in painful burning of the eyes or skin - wearing rubber gloves is a good tip.

Dried chillies are a great ingredient to have on hand in the kitchen, as they'll keep for around 12 months if stored in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. For a very simple Italian-style storecupboard dinner with tons of flavour, crumble them, seeds and all, into a pan and lightly fry in a little olive oil with some chopped garlic, then stir into spaghetti.

Some of the larger dried chillies work better when reconstituted. If you're making a liquidy dish such as a soup or sauce, you can add the dried chillies in whole and they'll plump up during cooking. Otherwise, you can reconstitute them by soaking in a bowlful of water for about an hour. They can then be used in the same way as fresh chillies.

Cooking with chillies

Prawn and ginger cakes with crunchy salad

Although mainly known for their heat, chillies can add flavour to bland dishes, and a small amount of finely chopped chilli is good with grains, pulses or mildly flavoured root vegetables.

Chillies are also great for livening up white fish. Chop a little into a marinade of lime juice, olive oil and coriander, and brush the fish with this before grilling. Try them in Chinese stir-fries, too.

If you want to roast chillies, put them under a very hot preheated grill, directly in a gas flame or - best of all - over hot coals, until the skin blackens and blisters. Be careful not to over-roast chillies as they tend to disintegrate. Should you find yourself with a mouthful of fire, the most effective antidotes are dairy products (particularly when combined with cooling cucumber, as in the Indian raita), because capsaicin is fat-soluble. Eating starchy foods such as bread or rice can also help. A drink of cold water won't help - it will actually seem to increase the heat.

Chocolate puddings with chilli chocolate sauce

Sweet dishes can also benefit from a chilli kick - try grilling thick slices of mango or pineapple on a griddle or barbecue, sprinkled with a little brown sugar and finely chopped red chilli. The affinity between chocolate and chillies has long been known, dating back to the Aztecs and Mayans of Central America, who are made a frothy hot chocolate drink flavoured with chilli or vanilla. A little bite of chilli warms the tongue and helps to cut through the richness of the chocolate.

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