A Cornerstone of Indian Food: Cooking with Chili Peppers
One weekend, on a whim, I decided to test my spice tolerance with ‘Bhut Jolokia’, one of the spiciest chili peppers in the world; adding it to vegetables and vindaloos, and a homemade hot sauce for long-term use.
Feeling the slow burn of too much capsaicin left me with one thought from the Bhut Jolokia experiment, “Sometimes, the way to chili pepper wisdom must come through the spiciest route”.
One of the Spiciest Chili Peppers in the World - Bhut Jolokia
Although chili peppers historically originated in central parts of the Americas, it’s no surprise that today, by a long margin, India is the world’s largest producer of chili peppers, or chilies as they’re commonly referred to around the country.
For most of us who’ve had the pleasure of sweating it out over spicy but delicious food from that region, it also makes sense that the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India produces a majority of this essential Indian ingredient.
Which Chili Pepper is Right for You?
Fresh, Dried, or Ground?
In spite of thousands of chili pepper varietals, the obvious question ‘which chili gets used where?’ doesn’t call for much thought back in India.
It’s commonly known that Kashmiri chilies are good for color and flavor with low levels of spiciness, while south Indian chili pepper types offer a stronger spice kick. In a generations-old display of the modern-day ‘Farm-to-Table’ concept, most Indian homes cook with the regional chili peppers produced and sold by their local farmers and spice stores.
During my early days in the US, the wide selection of global chili peppers in western markets had me testing out the different varieties of chili peppers in Indian food. Based on the desired levels of spiciness, from highest to lowest, I’d suggest picking Cayenne chili pepper, Thai green chili pepper, or Serrano pepper; these chili peppers impart the kind of spicy taste required in India’s cuisines.
Habenero peppers, although spicier and easily available, can be too intense in authentic Indian cooking, while Jalapeño in curry may as well be green bell pepper!
How to Treat your Chili Pepper
Like all spices, chili peppers need to be cooked through, really well. Toss them in hot oil, roast them on a dry griddle or cook them with water or stock in a slow-cooking curry, stew, or soup. Undercooked spices will leave you with an unpleasant spice taste, which detracts from the flavors of the dish.
Indian cuisine uses chili peppers in 3 main forms:
whole fresh
whole dried
dried and ground to a smooth powder
Fresh Chili Peppers
First, let’s look at whole fresh red or green chili peppers; they’re best to impart an instant spice kick to food. If you’re looking for subtle spiciness, add the entire fresh chili pepper uncut to hot oil, so the spice can mildly infuse your dish. Or take it up one step on the spice level, by slitting the fresh chili pepper, before adding it to oil; the chili seeds will give a bolder flavor. For its full spice impact, chop the fresh chili pepper very fine, so you get a taste in each bite.
Dried Whole Red Chili Peppers
Whole red chili peppers are often dried and used for making wet spice blends used in curries and stews. They’re also great for tempering, which is the process of adding ground or whole spices to heated oil, along with aromatics and herbs.
Ground Chili Pepper
This brings me to the often used ground dried red chili peppers or red chili ‘powder,’ as ground spices are often called in India. Look for ground Cayenne pepper in western spice aisles.
Advice on Using Chili Peppers
My son often asks if he can taste spices right out of the Masala Dabba (spice box) and my answer is a consistent “No”. The purpose of chili peppers is to add depth of flavor to a meal, not ‘torture by spice’.
Each palate has a distinct level of tolerance for spice; use your judgment to increase or reduce the quantity of chili pepper in any recipe as suited to you and your family.
Keep in mind that children don’t have a well-developed spice palate; and like all other foods, it helps to introduce spices in small amounts from a young age to build their liking for flavors.
