45 chili flake recipes

Cactus chili is a hearty slow cooker beef and red bean chili with a fiery hit of red pepper flakes and a splash of wine, simmered low all day until deep and rich. Serve it loaded with cheddar and sour cream.

Lemony green lentils simmered with cumin, cinnamon stick, chili flakes, ginger, and whole lemon slices. A bright, vegan, one-pot Indian-style side dish ready in under an hour.

Vegetarian fried rice with carrots, corn, bell pepper, fresh ginger, and chili flakes. No eggs, no meat, just crispy wok-fried rice loaded with vegetables and soy sauce.

Spiced chicken filling for samosas with garam masala, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Steamed, flaked, and seasoned with fresh dhunia leaves.

Watercress salad with a Chinese-style bean curd cheese and tahini dressing. Blanched watercress tossed in a creamy, savory fermented bean curd dressing with chili flakes and lemon.

Sicilian-style swordfish involtini: swordfish rolled around a toasted pine nut and parsley filling, braised in tomato sauce with white wine and chili flakes. Bright, briny, and weeknight-fast.

Fish samoosa filling with flaked fish, green chilies, lemon juice, and fresh coriander. A spicy South African-style filling for about 30 samoosas.

Empanaditas are bite-sized pork turnovers stuffed with Monterey Jack, brown mustard, and red pepper flakes, baked until golden. Party-ready with salsa or chili sauce for dipping.

Barbara Tropp's China Moon chili-lemon oil infused with Szechuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, ginger, and bright lemon zest. Homemade Chinese-inspired condiment for drizzling on noodles, dumplings, or grilled meats.

Brie quesadillas with jalapeño-plum salsa bring creamy, buttery cheese together with sweet-tart stone fruit and a kick of chili. A 30-minute appetizer that punches way above its weight class.

Crisp Thai cucumber salad (taeng kwa brio wan) with paper-thin slices in a sweet-sour vinegar dressing with red onion and chile flakes. A cool, refreshing side dish for any Thai meal.

Banana-Green Mango Chutney pairs ripe bananas with unripe mango, fresh ginger, serrano chile, and raisins in a tangy sweet-hot sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

You can use any type of wholegrain rice you like - but try to stick to non-white. There are many wonderful whole grain rice varieties that would work well in this dish - brown rice, red rice, or black rice.