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Nov

23rd

KY guides - know your Chili Peppers

Files under Eats, Guides | Posted by KY

In this part of the world, we are accustomed to having chili peppers as one of the many ingredients that make up our dishes. In fact, it is one of the most important spices in the local Malay and Indian cuisine, most notably in curry dishes. The Chinese too, have curry mee, laksa, char kueh teow, and many dishes that utilize the properties of chili to give the dishes a kick.

However, do you know your Chili Peppers?

Chili Peppers: Habanero, Thai Chili, Bell Peppers, Jalapeno
Clockwise: Habanero, Thai Peppers, Bell Peppers, JalapeÃ±o

The three most common types of chili we consume are the Thai Pepper (Chili Padi), Red Pepper (Cayenne), and Bell Pepper. Most people would correctly identify that the Thai Pepper is the hottest of the three, with Red Pepper slightly milder, and Bell Pepper not hot at all. But did you know the hotness of any particular type of pepper is rated?

Enter the Scoville scale. The idea is simple, a score of 100 in Scoville scale would mean that the extract of the pepper has to be diluted 100 times in sugar water before no hotness is detected. However, modern tests (HPLC) is a bit more technologically advanced and the human factor is removed.

Turns out, while the bell pepper has a score of 0, the red pepper is rated between 30,000 - 50,000. The Thai Pepper though, is rated 2-3 times more, at 50,000 - 100,000 on the Scoville scale. The JalapeÃ±o found in many Mexican food is at 2,500 - 8,000, while Tabasco sauce at 2,500 - 5,000.

If you want to get a bigger kick, try the Habanero, rated 100,000 - 300,000 with the Red Savina variety up to 577,000. I once cooked a pack of Maggie noodle with one of those and ended up feeling like my lips, mouth, tongue, throat, and stomach were burning. It didn’t feel too great going to the toilet 2 days later either.

It was an experience, I didn’t believe it was the pepper at first, and did a confirmation experiment a week later, it wasn’t exactly pleasant to confirm my findings.

You can get Habanero peppers from Cold Storage at Bangsar. I’m not sure if they are readily available anywhere else.

Tips: I find that Chili is usually milder when precipitation level is high while hotter during dryer times. This is probably due to the growth rate of plants.

Tags: bell-pepper, habanero, jalapeno, pepper, thai-pepper

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12 Responses to “KY guides - know your Chili Peppers”

By Giant Sotong on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply

You actually ate a Habanero? The Fruit of Pain? You should’ve talked to me first before you tried it.

By sbd18 on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply

Tried a drop of Habanero pepper oil on a tortilla chip in Mall of America. Was ok at first till a minute later when it kicked. Ended up spending half an our under a tap in the Mens. LOL. Freaking hot stuff.

By ShaolinTiger on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply

Yah I ate a habanero in Jakarta…I thought it was small and cute it can’t be that spicy….oh boy was I wrong.

By HOCKEEY on Nov 23, 2006 | Reply

KY,
I GROW MY OWN HABANERO CHILLIES. YOU CAN ACTUALLY IMPLANT THE SEED AND IN TROPICAL CLIMATE SHOULD BE NO [PROBLEM AT ALL. THIS SPECIES IS SIMILAR TO THE JAMAICAN SCOTCH BONNET PEPPER SIMILARLY HOT AND CAN BE USED TO COOK UP CARRIBEAN GOAT CURRY.
I MAKE CHILY PASTE OUT FO THEM. BLEND WITH GARLIC, TOMATOES, LEMON SALT AND SUGAR TO TASTE. COOK WITH GENEROUS OIL FOR 30 MINUTES AND IT IS MORE PALATABLE TO TASTE BUD!
REGARDS!

By cheekky on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply

try the tabasco habanero sauce! freakin nice… but also damn hot

By anttyk on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply

I can’t take really hot stuff. Sure ‘lau sai’ one.

By VaLz on Nov 24, 2006 | Reply

Are you as hot as the chilies?