Vegetables for vitality: chili peppers

Mild to fiery, chili peppers spice up the cuisines of many countries, in particular those of Mexico and Thailand. Here are a few reasons why you should add them to your diet:

Packed into 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) of chili peppers:

• less than 20 calories
• more than 150 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin C
• beta-carotene to help fight chronic disease
• folate for normal growth
• vitamin B6 for normal brain function and formation of red blood cells
• the antioxidant capsaicin to fight cancer and ulcers

Season:

• Most supermarkets carry fresh chili peppers all year, though some have a wider variety than others. Asian markets are usually the best source.

What to look for:

• Fresh chili peppers should have fresh-looking green stems and be well-shaped, firm and glossy, with no wrinkles.
• Dried hot chili peppers should be glossy and unbroken.

Storing:

• Wrap unwashed chili peppers in paper towels. Don't use plastic bags because moisture causes chili peppers to decompose.
• Keep fresh chili peppers in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
• Dried chili peppers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature; they will last as long as four months. In the refrigerator, they'll last even longer.

Preparation:

• Take care when handling chili peppers. The membranes and seeds harbor capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot. It can badly irritate the skin and cause considerable discomfort if it gets in your eyes. You might want to wear rubber gloves while you prepare them.
• Wash chili peppers, cut them open and remove the membranes and seeds if you prefer a milder flavour in your dish.
• After chopping chili peppers, wash the cutting board and the utensils, as well as your gloves.
• If you grind dried chili peppers to use in powder form, be careful not to inhale the fumes or expose your eyes to them. To minimize discomfort, try soaking chili peppers in hot water for 30 minutes, then puréeing them with a little of the soaking liquid. Then proceed with your recipe.

Basic cooking:

• Just a sprinkling of chopped chili adds zing to all kinds of dishes from hamburgers to salad dressings.
• Roast and peel large mild chili peppers just as you do peppers, then stuff them with cheese or meat and deep-fry.
• Remove the ribs and seeds when you peel them.

• Add finely chopped chili to corn bread or corn muffins.
• Make a hot chili and sweet pepper salsa by finely chopping red, green and orange peppers and jalapeño and chipotle chili peppers. Add finely chopped red onion and cilantro and vinegar. Serve with meat or poultry.
• A sprinkling of chopped chili peppers adds a kick to tomato sauce, meat loaf or a cheese sauce.

• Red chili peppers contain more than 10 times the amount of beta-carotene found in the green variety.
• Pimentos are often confused with chili peppers; they're a variety of pepper.
• Pimentón, a spice much used in Spanish cooking and similar to paprika, is made from dried, ground pimentos.

Wow, there's a bunch of great ideas for adding chili peppers to your regular meals. Not only are they healthy, but they're sure to spice up any dish and add some extra flare!

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