Chili Heads Stand Up!

CraigC

CraigC

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I am a "Chili Head"! I seek out cuisines that use chilis in their dishes. I don't mean the idiots that try foods that use chilis for the sake of the heat that over powers the food so nothing else can be tasted. I keep many dried chilis on hand in whole and powder form. What is in your pantry?
 
Two kinds of chili powder, cayenne, and some red pepper flakes. I have banana peppers and sport peppers in the fridge.

While I like chilis just fine, I wouldn't consider myself a chili head. To me, they're just another ingredient to be called upon when needed.
 
Definitely 100%. And I can take it very hot. Years of training, eating Vindaloo and Phal in British curry houses.
 
Chili: I still have my younger self taste buds and love a fully seasoned chili with some heat and loads of flavor to match the heat. Unfortunately some Scoville heat levels no longer agree with the lower part of my digestive tract, so while I'll still eat, it will be a lesser amount.

In the ways of powders/ground, I have ancho, chipotle, cayenne, chili pequin, guajillo chile. And a generic "chili powder".

I have dried Guajillos, and dried chipotle.

I buy fresh jalapenos, and grew Thai chili peppers in my garden last year - as it was my first year growing them, I hadn't planted that many, and they are now gone. I like poblano chilis fresh, and buy those as well.

As far as the sauces, there's an annual event late summer, sort of a Chili Pepper Festival, and I've gotten a few of their sauces. They're all local and you won't find them elsewhere. But for a go-to sauce that is prevalent (at least in the US), I like Cholula.
 
I like chilis as a flavoring. I like a little "afterburn," but not "punch in the face" heat. I want to taste the whole meal.

I only have a handful of chilis i use on a regular basis. Cayenne peppers are one that I grow a ot of, and use a lot. They are very versatile. I can substitute them in for a lot of other red chilis.

With super-hot chilis that have flavor to justify them, I will use them in cooking the way I use bay leaves. I will cut a few slits in the pepper/peppers, and use them to cook in my dish at a simmer. When the simmer is done, I remove the peppers, just as you would bay leaves. Their job is done.

CD
 
caseydog said:
. I will cut a few slits in the pepper/peppers, and use them to cook in my dish at a simmer. When the simmer is done, I remove the peppers,
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That is a good technique - perfect for hot Scotch Bonnets. I also do that as I cook for others who don't like (can't take :D ) the heat that I can.
 
We have heaps growing here ATM. I'll take some pics when it cools down a bit. Wife's picking about 10to15 a day. Green and red. I need to grow some yellow ones as soon as wife tracks down seeds. I need the different colours for Thai curries, a request from family.

Russ
 
So here's our front door chillies, all my propagating. Apart from the lemon tree on the right the rest are chillies. There's more in two greenhouses at the back. And no, I don't live at 10 downing st.

Russ

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We always have fresh chillis in the salad drawer of the fridge. Usually Thai hot, prik kee noo and red or green cayennes. We also keep dried red chillis, chilli powder, cayenne pepper and chilli flakes. I usually have a jar of home pickled chillis in the fridge (good for burgers).

The cayennes and Thai hot I use in chilli con carne and salsa (about 50:50); Thai hot on burgers and pizzas. The prik kee noo are for tom yam and som tam. Dried chillis I use whole in Indian curries together with cayenne pepper or chilli powder. Chilli flakes are for sprinkling on noodle dishes. About 80% of the meals we cook at home include some form of chilli.

chillis s.jpg

chillis s.jpg

Chopped Thai hot and red cayenne chillis.

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So wife's picking green and red chillies, so I'm making red Thai curry paste in next few days, is anyone interested on pics and method, Yorky prolly won't be interested as he's in the middle of this curries. But he might like to add his thoughts on my take??
Anyone interested ?

Russ
 
rascal said:
So wife's picking green and red chillies, so I'm making red Thai curry paste in next few days, is anyone interested on pics and method, Yorky prolly won't be interested as he's in the middle of this curries. But he might like to add his thoughts on my take??
Anyone interested ?

Russ
Click to expand...

Go for it!
 
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