Description:
We cannot think of Indian cooking without a dash of green chillies. Slit, sliced, chopped or diced, we just have to add a few green chillies to add that tang to our food. There are hundreds of different varieties of chillies ranging from very mild to scorchingly hot. The strength of the chilli depends on the amount of capsaicin, a volatile oil, in the seeds and pith. It is this oil which can burn the skin and eyes. As a general rule the darker the color of the chilli, the hotter it is. If you're not sure of the strength of the chillies you are using, use it in moderation to start with and then taste the dish and add more if need be.
Storing:
Green chillies are known to have bacteria around the stem. This leads to early spoilage. So when storing them, snap off and remove the stems, wrap them in paper towels, and put them in a ziploc and refigerate. The advantage of ziploc is that the chillies can be flattened so that they lie almost in a single layer. As the contact area is reduced, if one spoils, the chances of the spoilage spreading quickly to the others reduces. Also it saves space in the crisper. The paper towel absorbs any lingering moisture. If you find that it is becoming too damp, change the paper towel.
Freezer:
Just grind some green chillies and make green chilli paste and refrigerate it. This will stay good for a month or maybe more. Ensure a longer life by adding a tablespoon of hot vegetable/ canola/sunflower cooking oil to them and mixing well. Alternative: Serrano peppers is a good alternative if you cannot find green chillies or are too lazy to go to the Indian store.
We cannot think of Indian cooking without a dash of green chillies. Slit, sliced, chopped or diced, we just have to add a few green chillies to add that tang to our food. There are hundreds of different varieties of chillies ranging from very mild to scorchingly hot. The strength of the chilli depends on the amount of capsaicin, a volatile oil, in the seeds and pith. It is this oil which can burn the skin and eyes. As a general rule the darker the color of the chilli, the hotter it is. If you're not sure of the strength of the chillies you are using, use it in moderation to start with and then taste the dish and add more if need be.
Storing:
Green chillies are known to have bacteria around the stem. This leads to early spoilage. So when storing them, snap off and remove the stems, wrap them in paper towels, and put them in a ziploc and refigerate. The advantage of ziploc is that the chillies can be flattened so that they lie almost in a single layer. As the contact area is reduced, if one spoils, the chances of the spoilage spreading quickly to the others reduces. Also it saves space in the crisper. The paper towel absorbs any lingering moisture. If you find that it is becoming too damp, change the paper towel.
Freezer:
Just grind some green chillies and make green chilli paste and refrigerate it. This will stay good for a month or maybe more. Ensure a longer life by adding a tablespoon of hot vegetable/ canola/sunflower cooking oil to them and mixing well. Alternative: Serrano peppers is a good alternative if you cannot find green chillies or are too lazy to go to the Indian store.
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