What Everyone Should Know About Chiles

Chiles or chile peppers (Capsicum annuum, chinense or frutescens) are native to Central and South America. All chiles belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with tomatoes, potatoes and aubergines/eggplants. The ‘heat’ of a chile comes from capsaicin. Capsaicin prevents  mammals from eating the chile fruits. Birds are unaffected and consume chiles readily, helping to spread the seeds. Chile heat is measured in two ways: The Scoville Scale (subjective) and HPLC which measures the exact amount of capsaicin. The amount of heat anychile has comes from the combination of genetics and growing conditions. Chile plants that are stressed somewhat (hot weather, little water) tend to produce hotter fruits.

Note: The chiles for red chile sauce must be the New Mexico pod type. These are relatively long and vary in heat. Smaller thinner Thai or Chinese red chiles are not a substitute; they will be too hot for people not accustomed to the heat.

Mexican Oregano is not the same as Mediterranean oregano. If unavailable, use the Mediterranean variety but the flavour won’t be exactly the same.

Ingredients

• 25–30 dried New Mexico-type red chiles
• 1 litre/quart boiling water
• 1 tbs lard, olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2 of a medium onion, finely minced
• 2–3 cloves of garlic (or to taste), finely minced
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
•  salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Wash the dried chiles. Split the pods and remove the stems. If less heat is desired, scrape the seeds and veins away as well.

Placed the cleaned pods in a heavy saucepan and cover with the boiling water. Cook over medium heat until the chiles are tender. Drain when done and reserve the water in which they were cooked.

Meanwhile, heat the lard or oil in a heavy frying pan. Add the minced onion and garlic. Saute until the onion has softened. Set aside.

Run the cooked chiles through a sieve or food mill to separate the skins from the pulp. Return the chile pulp to the saucepan. Add back enough of the cooking water to make a sauce. It shouldn’t be too thin.

Bring the Red Chile Sauce to a boil and add the onion/garlic mixture, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, for about 15–20 minutes. It’s now ready to use.

New Mexican Red Chile sauce can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen in airtight containers. It can also be canned; follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Use New Mexican Red Chile Sauce with these recipes:

Santa Fe Breakfast Burritos

New Mexican Spanish Rice

Posole

New Mexican Pizza

Visit New Mexico: http://www.newmexico.org/

Image via Wikipedia

The main characteristic of cayenne pepper is the fruit of a small but very spicy taste. The fruit is green when young and turn red when the old man stood erect on a short-sized leaves and armpits. These plants grow chronic and branched width to the height reached 1 – 2.5m. Its roots form the root of riding with many shallow side roots, leaves were scattered. Such as red pepper, cayenne pepper trumpet-shaped flowers of small and mostly white. This plant can be fruitful and able to bear fruit throughout the year.

There are three types of chili sauce, namely: (1) cengek leutik, with small fruit, green, and standing upright on the stalk, (2) cengek sheep (cengek Bodas), with a relatively larger fruit than cengek leutik, white when young and turns orange when old; and (3) ceplik, with large green fruit when young and red when old.

Chillies contain capsaicin Rawit known to many, kapsantin, carotenoids, alkaloids, resins, essential oils, and vitamins A and C. With abortion, the Chili Rawit believed to help increase appetite, normalize the back foot and hand fatigue, relieve cough with phlegm, relieve nasal congestion in sinusitus, and migraine.

Serves 4

4 medium potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch chunks

5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup orange marmalade

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tablespoon minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce (if desired)

4 4-ounce (approximately) boneless pork loin chops

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and fill with water until just covered. Set pan on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, return the potatoes to the pan, add 3 teaspoons of the extra-virgin olive oil and mash lightly. You still want it to be a little chunky. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. In a medium-size bowl combine the orange marmalade, cilantro and chipotle chilies with adobo sauce (if using). Set aside.

3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the pork chops well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add chops to the pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside.

4.

If you are planning to make a dish that is popular in Southeast Asia, chances are you may need coconut milk or cream. Some of the dishes coconut milk is used in are:  gravy, cream soups, milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream, marinades, stews, puddings and cream pie fillings.  It is also used in cooking liquid for rice and other grains.   If you can’t find canned coconut milk, then consider making your own. 

Here’s what you will need:

• 1 cup desiccated coconut or grated fresh coconut
• 1 cup boiling water, coconut water or hot milk

Pour hot water or milk over the coconut in a bowl, and let it steep until it is cool enough to touch.  Pour the mixture through a strainer, catching the milky liquid in a bowl and pressing the coconut pulp to extract as much of the liquid as possible.  Discard the pressed pulp .  Refrigerate the extracted coconut milk and use it within two days – or you can freeze it.  (The creamy layer that rises to the top can be stirred back in or removed and used in recipes calling for coconut cream.)

  Coconut Milk

If the extracted liquid is very rich, you may want to try steeping your pulp a second time in another cup of hot liquid, repeating the soaking and draining process in order to extract a second cup of coconut milk from the batch.  If you only want to make a very small batch of coconut milk from fresh coconut, here’s what you will need:

1/4 to 1/2 cup of fresh coconut

Add fresh coconut to your blender and add an equal amount of boiling water or hot milk.  Process the coconut until it is chopped, then cool it slightly, drain, and press the pulp fairly dry. 

Tip:  Line a bowl with cheesecloth before adding the grated coconut.  Pour over the hot liquid and steep.  When the mixture is cool enough to handle, draw up the corners of the cheesecloth, twist the corners around to squeeze the coconut pulp, and press with your hands to extract all the liquid back into the bowl you used for soaking. 

COCONUT CREAM

You may be able to find this in the supermarket or liquor store called ‘cream of coconut” (also used to make pina coladas or coconut cake).  It is NOT the same thing as coconut cream.  They are NOT interchangeable.  Cream of coconut is highly sweetened coconut cream. 

Coconut cream is the oil-rich layer that rises to the top of coconut milk.  If you refrigerate coconut milk, the creamy layer will solidify at the top of the container – which makes it easy to remove. 

Tip:  Both coconut milk and cream are excellent substitutes for dairy products, if you are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy. 

Quick Pina Colada Smoothie

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 14 oz. cans pineapple chunks in their juice (or 1-1/2 cups fresh pineapple)
• 1/3 cup cream of coconut or 3 tablespoons sugar (optional)
• Whipped topping (optional)

Place all incredients in a blender, then top with whipped topping if you like.

Hollandaise Sauce

1 Cup Butter

1 Extra Large Egg

1 Tsp.  Dijon Mustard

3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

Melt butter.  In a blender place egg, mustard and lemon juice and whisk at high speed until well blended.  With blender still running in blending mode add melted butter a few drops at a time, increasing the flow to a slow and steady steam.  

To reheat the sauce, place the container in a hot, but not boiling water and stir until smooth.  Add extra lemon to your particular taste.

CRANBERRY RELISH/SAUCE

2 Large Oranges

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice (Bottled can be substituted)

2 Tbsp. Cointreau*

2 Tsp. Fresh Ginger, cut into fine julienne strips

12 Ounces Fresh Cranberries

1/8 Tsp. Ground Pink Peppercorns 

** Dash ground ginger (for extra ginger flavor – optional)

Peel 1 orange and cut the zest into fine julienne strips. Squeeze oranges and set aside the juice.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon juice and Cointreau and heat slowly until sugar starts to caramelize and mixture is boiled down to one-half the quantity.  Add the ginger, orange zest and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add cranberries, orange juice and pepper.  Cook mixture on medium heat until cranberries are broken.  Remove from the heat and cool thoroughly.  Refrigerate at least 24 hours prior to serving.

*  My personal recommendation;

**I add a dash of ground ginger for extra flavor

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, then season with salt and pepper. Purée until fine, then scrape into a bowl. Sprinkle with extra pine nuts and the reserved parsley leaves to serve.

This is a delicious marinade, sauce or barbecue sauce and unlike the types offered in the grocery stores, you can adjust the ingredients to your desired taste.

1 1/2  Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1 1/2  Cup Worcestershire Sauce

1 1/2  Cup Prepared Mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon)

1 Qt.   Ketchup

1/2 C.  Freshly-ground Black Pepper

1/2 C.  Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (or a bit less if you do not like a spicy hot sauce)

2         Qt.   Red Wine Vinegar

1         Qt.   White Wine 

1         Cup  Coarse Sea Salt

Makes approximately 8 Quarts

Place all ingredients in a 12 quart stainless steel pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on low; cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.  Refrigerate for 24 hours before heating and using with your food. 

Chestnuts                      -        1 pound

Bay leaves                     -        4

Salt                                -        ½ tbsp

Procedure:

Cut a crisscross on the top (pointed end) of the chestnuts. Cover with water; add the bay leaves and salt and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

Serve as a cock tail accompaniment, either in the shell or shelled.

Allow 5 chestnuts per serving.

Per serving

Calories 60

Saturated fat 0.2 gram

Poly unsaturated fat 0.3 gram

Total fat 0.8 gram

Reference:

The Low Salt, Low Cholesterol Cookbook

Myra Waldo

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PREPARATION

Cut mangoes into pieces as you like. Do not peel off. (Small pieces are recommended)

Wash them sufficiently.

Put vegetable oil into a saucepan and make it hot.

Once oil gets boiled, put mustard seeds together with curry leaves and wait for 1 minute.

Add onion pieces, green chilli pieces, maldive fish, salt, turmeric powder and chilli/pepper powder (or both). Then temper them until become golden brown colour (Be careful not to over cook)

Add mango pieces and cook it for 5 minutes.

Add water or coconut milk and cook it for 15-25 minutes.(It depends upon the type of mango you have selected)

Stir well whilst cooking

Add sugar and keep it on the cooker for 2-3 minutes.

Taste it and add sugar, chilli, or salt if needed.

Serve hot.. It tastes good. you can feed children also. They would love this… Check it out.