What Is Chile pepper and How Can I Use It?
Chile pepper rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 31 recipes to cook with it.
Key Points
- A chile pepper is the fresh hot pod of the Capsicum plant, mild to blistering by variety.
- Heat lives in the pale inner ribs and membrane, not the seeds, which carry it by contact.
- Scrape out ribs and seeds to tame heat; leave them in for fire.
- Capsaicin is an oil, so dairy cuts the burn while water just spreads it.
- Wear gloves for hot chiles; fresh keep one to two weeks or freeze whole.
What is chile pepper?
A chile pepper is the fresh, hot fruit of the Capsicum plant, the green or red pod that brings heat to a dish. The word covers a huge range, from a mild Anaheim to a blistering habanero.
So "chile pepper" in a recipe is really a category, and the result depends on which one you grab. The heat comes from capsaicin, a compound the plant concentrates in the pale inner ribs and the spongy membrane that holds the seeds.
The seeds themselves are not the source. They just sit right next to it and carry the heat by contact.
Heat is measured in Scoville units, from a near-zero bell pepper up past a million for the hottest varieties. Color is no guide, since a small green serrano can outburn a big red one.
Cooking With Fresh Chiles
The first decision is how much heat you want. To dial it down, slit the chile and scrape out the ribs and seeds with a spoon or knife tip. To crank it up, leave them in or add a second chopped chile near the end of cooking.
Where you add the chile matters. Cooked into oil at the start, the heat spreads evenly and mellows into the whole dish, the way it works in Salsa Rojo or a long-simmered Dovi (Peanut Butter Stew).
Stirred in raw at the end, the chile stays sharp and bright, as in a fresh salsa or a Sri Lankan curry such as Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry.
Toasting or charring a chile before chopping adds a smoky depth, useful in stews and salsas.
Handling Heat Without Getting Burned
Capsaicin is an oil, and it does not wash off with water alone. It clings to your skin and, hours later, to whatever you touch: your eyes, your lips, a contact lens.
For anything hotter than a jalapeno, wear thin gloves while you seed and chop. If you skip the gloves, scrub your hands first with dish soap and oil to break up the capsaicin, then wash again with plain soap and water. Keep your hands away from your face until then.
The classic dinner-table mistake is reaching for water when a bite is too hot. Water just spreads the oil around. Dairy is what cuts it: a swallow of milk, a spoon of yogurt, a bite of sour cream. That is why a fiery curry comes with a cooling raita.
If a pot turns out too spicy, do not chase it with more liquid alone. Stir in something fatty or sweet, a splash of coconut milk or a spoon of sugar or a handful of grated cheese, to blunt the burn.
Substitutes
Swapping one fresh chile for another is mostly a question of heat. Trade up or down the Scoville ladder and adjust the count: one habanero is worth a small pile of jalapenos.
No fresh chile in the house? Dried red chiles rehydrated in hot water bring deeper, fruitier heat, while a pinch of red chile powder or red pepper flakes covers pure heat in a cooked dish. Hot sauce works at the table when you just need to raise the burn.
Buying and Storing
Choose chiles that are firm and glossy with tight, unwrinkled skin and a fresh stem. Soft spots, wrinkling, and dull color all mean age, and an old chile loses both crunch and aroma.
Fresh chiles keep about one to two weeks in the crisper drawer. They last longer stored dry in a paper bag rather than sealed plastic, which traps moisture and rots them faster.
For long keeping, freeze them whole. They go soft on thawing but hold their heat for months and chop fine straight from frozen.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (37g)Quick facts
Food group: Chile pepper is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 智利辣椒
- British (UK) term
- Chile pepper
- en français
- piment
- en español
- Chile pimiento
How much does chile pepper weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 37 grams |
| 1 pepper | 0 grams |
Related
Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Recipes using chile pepper
There are 31 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry
Kukul Mus Thakkali, a Sri Lankan chicken and tomato curry with coconut milk, lemongrass, curry leaves, fenugreek and cardamom. Marinated and simmered for rich, layered flavor.
Salsa Rojo
This tomato salsa is very delicious, especially with homemade whole wheat pita chips, they are really tasty together.
Absolutely Perfect Palak Paneer
THis one was yummy.I heeded the advice of those who went before and used plenty of salt and also coarse chopped the spinach before cooking and skipped the processing. I didn't have any ricotta or tomato in the house and was dying to try it so I substituted extra firm silken tofu and just skipped the tomato. It was still delicious!
Chicken Sate With Peanut Sauce
Nowadays chicken become more popular and welcomed by people, low fat, much fibire, this chicken sate with peanut sauce goes very well!
Grilled Salmon with Minted Salsa
Grilled salmon with minted tomato salsa: pink fillets seared over fire and topped with a half-pureed warm salsa of tomato, mint, jalapeño, and green onion. A bright, garden-fresh dinner.
Quinoa En Salpicon
Quinoa salpicon salad tossed with fresh cucumber, tomato, mint, and parsley in a zesty lime-chile vinaigrette. A bright, protein-rich Latin American side dish served cold.
Pork Chili with Artichoke
Pork chili with artichoke hearts and white beans: a Mediterranean-leaning chili with cumin, oregano, white wine, and roma tomatoes. Lemon juice and cilantro hit at the end for brightness.
Clams Sailor Style
Fresh clams steamed open with eight cloves of garlic, olive oil, white wine, chile pepper, and bread crumbs that thicken the broth into a scoopable sauce. Simple, rustic, and loaded with garlic.
Cheese-Stuffed Burgers
Cheese-stuffed burgers hide a pocket of Monterey Jack and fresh chile pepper inside lean ground beef patties, then get served on toasted crusty bread with sliced tomato. The Juicy Lucy goes Southwest.
Vegetarian Quick Black Bean Soup
If you love black beans then you have to try this simple recipe that will satisfy your tastebuds.
Ricotta Tacos - Tacos De Requeson
Tacos de requeson: corn tortillas stuffed with ricotta cheese, fried golden and crisp, then filled with a tangy lime-radish-cilantro salsa. A traditional Mexican street food you can make at home.
Caribbean Vegetable Stew
Low-fat vegetarian stew packed with sweet potatoes, okra, cabbage, and tomatoes, brightened with fresh ginger, lime juice, and cilantro. Topped with crunchy peanuts.
Oniony Tempeh
Indonesian-style crispy fried tempeh tossed with caramelized onions, garlic, chili pepper, sweet soy sauce, and brown sugar. Crunchy, sweet, spicy, and ready in 25 minutes.
Sopa De Frijol Negro (Black Bean Soup)
Cuban-style black bean soup simmered with ham hock, scotch bonnet pepper, and a splash of dark rum stirred in just before serving. Rich, smoky, and deeply satisfying.
Rasta Pasta
Vegetarian rasta pasta with a creamy pumpkin coconut sauce spiced with allspice, thyme, and ginger over angel hair. Loaded with broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, and corn.
Thai Cucumber
Thai cucumber salad (ajad) with quick sweet-vinegar dressing, paper-thin onion, fresh red chile, and crunchy roasted peanuts. The classic 10-minute side for satay and grilled meats.
Shredded Turkey & Pinto Bean Burritos
Shredded turkey and pinto bean burritos with cumin-spiced tomatoes, Monterey Jack cheese, and crunchy cabbage. A quick, hearty wrap ready in under 40 minutes.
Jim's Yellow Split Pea Soup
Yellow split pea soup simmered with a ham bone, carrots, celery, and thyme for 3 hours until thick and smoky. A hearty, old-fashioned soup that turns a leftover ham bone into a full meal.
Black Bean, Corn, & Jalapeño Salad
This is a no-fail recipe. And if it lasts more than a day, it's still fantastic 3 days later. All of my friends and co-workers love this dish for potlucks and parties! TRY IT!
Rogan Josh (Indian lamb in spiced cream sauce)
From recipe request: posted by posted by SuzieQue. Rogan josh is classic of Kashmiri cuisine. Some preparations are very lavish with lots of sweet spices and liberal amounts of cream. The name rogan josh means "red meat," and reflects the reddish color of the dish.
Spicy Seafood Chili
Spicy seafood chili simmers shrimp, scallops, clams, and firm fish in a roasted-pepper tomato base with green salsa and Anaheim chilies. Southwestern coastal stew with a fiery kick.
West Indian Rice & Peas with Tempeh
West Indian rice and peas turns vegan with crisp tempeh, coconut-toasted brown rice, and black-eyed peas simmered with bay. Cinnamon, chile, and bell pepper bring Caribbean warmth.
Pinto Bean, Andouille Sausage Stew
Pinto bean and andouille sausage stew with smoked paprika, three peppers, and a bright lime finish. A smoky Cajun-Creole one-pot with rendered bacon fat building deep bottom-of-the-bowl flavor.
A Red Chili Nightmare
This scrumptious chili is made with succulent pork sausage, pinto beans and a nightmare of spices!
Dovi (Peanut Butter Stew)
Traditional African chicken stew thickened with creamy peanut butter, loaded with tomatoes and bell peppers, served with peanut-tossed spinach for an authentic one-pot meal.
Stir Fried Caribou with Black Bean Sauce
Lean caribou strips seared fast in sesame oil and smothered in a from-scratch black bean sauce spiked with ginger, garlic, and chile. Swap in venison or beef if caribou isn't in your freezer.
Joe Cooper's Chili
Joe Cooper's chili is a classic Texas bowl of red: three pounds of beef simmered with dried chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, and a hint of cocoa. No beans, no tomatoes, just deep beef-and-chile flavor thickened with cornmeal and flour.
General Tao's Chicken (Le Piment Rouge)
Dress up your chicken for dinner with this recipe that uses a variety of spices to create an extravagant taste.
