The top benefits, nutritional values, Uses and storage of Red Chili

Red chili belongs to the family of nightshade and is the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants. It is related to bell peppers and tomatoes. They are also called as chili peppers. Red chili has many varieties like jalapeno, Habanero,  Jalapeno, Cayenne, Piri Piri, Fresno, etc. The scientific name of red chili is Capsicum annuum. It is well known for its hot flavor.

Chili peppers have been originated in Mexico and then spread all over the world between the 16th and 17th centuries.

The spice of the chili peppers is due to the Capsaicin it contains. Capsaicin is responsible for its unique and pungent taste. The size of the chili peppers also depends upon the growing conditions and its type.

The health benefits of red chili are improving cognitive function, contribute to red blood cell formation, reduce blood pressure and prevents cardiovascular disease, acts as a natural pain reliever, clears nasal congestion, soothe intestinal diseases and disorders, boost immunity and maintaining healthy eyes. Other benefits include preventing cancer, preventing stomach ulcers, promoting weight loss and improving longevity.

Improves Cognitive Functioning

Red chili contains iron which helps in maintaining cognitive performance. It also decreases the chance of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

 

Contributes To Red Blood Cell Formation

Red chili contains folic acid, iron, and copper which helps in the formation of new blood cells and treats anemia.

Reduce Blood Pressure and Prevents Cardiovascular Disease

Red chili contains niacin, riboflavin, and potassium which reduces the risk of heart disease. It also helps in relaxing blood vessels, prevents atherosclerosis, pellagra, diarrhea, and insomnia.

Clears Nasal Congestion

Red chili contains capsaicin which helps in relieving congestion, protects against chronic sinus infections and induces vasoconstriction in the blood vessels of the nasal cavity.

Boosts Immunity

Red chili contains vitamin A and vitamin C which protects against infections and helps in keeping healthy respiratory tract, intestinal tract, and urinary tract.

Maintain Healthy Eyes

Red chili prevents night blindness and macular degeneration and maintains eye health.

Inhibits Cancer

Red chili reduces the risk of cancer. It kills cancer cells and leukemia thus red chilies can stop the growth of tumors and cancer.

Chili Pepper Can Help Prevent Stomach Ulcers

Chili peppers kill microorganisms that you simply might have eaten and stimulates the cells lining the abdomen to unleash buffering juices. Thus, helping in preventing stomach ulcers.

Improve Longevity

Red chili has been observed to increase some years in age. They have the tendency to increase levels of IGF-1 in blood, an anti-aging hormone.

Promotes a Healthy Heart

Red chillies additionally aid the vascular system and prevent heart condition by lowering liquid body substance sterol and reduces lipid deposits, and so, reverses excessive curdling. It additionally dilates the blood vessels to assist in blood flow.

Mitigates Migraines

Red chilies help in reducing pain during the migraine. It helps the body to become desensitized towards the migraine and the overall sensation of pain is lessened.

Relieves Joint Pain

Red chilies contain capsaicin which has pain- relieving properties. It acts as a pain reliever by reducing the chemical p from the body that carries pain messages to the brain. It provides relief in joint pain, shingles, HIV neuropathy and other types of pain.

Quells Psoriasis

Red chilies help in providing relief to an itchy skin condition that results in skin patches. This itchy skin condition is called psoriasis. It helps in reducing the number of cells to replicating and aids within the reversal of the auto-immune skin lesions.

Fights the Flu, Colds and Fungal Infections
Red chilies contain beta carotene and antioxidants that prevent fungal strains, congestion. It also provides relief in the cold and flu.

Prevents Allergies

Red chilies contain anti-inflammatory properties that prevent allergies and their symptoms.

Weight loss

Capsaicin helps in reducing weight loss by reducing appetite and  increasing fat burning

Red chili can be eaten at any time of day. It goes well with every food item.

Nutrition facts

The nutrition facts for one  tablespoon (15 grams) of raw, fresh, red chili peppers are

• Calories: 6
• Water: 88%
• Protein: 0.3 grams
• Carbs: 1.3 grams
• Sugar: 0.8 grams
• Fiber: 0.2 grams
• Fat: 0.1 grams

How to buy and Store red chili

Buy red chili that is fresh, have taunt and firm skin,  have deep and glossy colors. The stem of the red chili should be hardy and fresh. It should not have any cracks near the steam with the exception of jalapenos. Do not buy those red chilies which have soft or black spots and are wrinkled.

Wrap red chili in a paper towel or paper bag, store them in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to a week. Avoid storing them in plastic bags which can spoil red chilies quickly.

Ways to use red chili

Red chilies can be used in a variety of ways.

• Add some chili peppers to the saute vegetables to turn up the spice volume.
• Add chili peppers to your favorite cornbread recipe to give it an extra spark.
• Add minced chili peppers to yogurt and use it as a condiment or dip.
• Add jalapenos to your favorite tuna salad recipe.
• Purée fresh chili peppers together with olive oil, garlic, coriander, peppermint, and caraway.
• Cayenne pepper and lemon juice make great compliments to cooked bitter greens such as collards, kale, and mustard greens.

Season in which red chili is available

Red chili is available all year round

How to make Red Chilli Pickle Recipe

Ingredients:

Thick red chili peppers ( Moti Sabut Lal Mirch, Achar Wali) – 500 grams

Yellow Mustard seeds (Peeli sarson) – 5 tablespoons

Fennel seeds ( Saunf) – 3 tablespoons

Nigella Sativa seeds (Kalonji) – 1 tablespoon

Fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana) – 2 tablespoons

Turmeric (Haldi) powder – 2 tablespoons

Salt – As per taste, I have used around 3.5 tablespoons

Dry mango (Amchoor) powder – 2 tablespoons

Mustard oil (Kachi Ghani Sarso ka Tel) – Around 2 cups

Method:

1.  Wash the thick red chili peppers ( Moti Sabut Lal Mirch, Achar Wali) thoroughly in water.

2. Place them in a dry towel and thoroughly wipe each of them.

3. Spread them on a dry cotton cloth and keep them in direct sunlight for 3-4 hours  (or more, depending upon the intensity of sunlight) till all the moisture in chilies gets dry up, and there is not a drop of water in them.

4. Now, remove the crown of the chilies and chop each one lengthwise into 1 centimeter (around) slices as shown in the picture below.

5. In a heated Pan on a low flame, put fenugreek (Methi) seeds, fennel (Saunf) seeds, yellow mustard (Peeli Sarson) seeds and nigella seeds (Kalonji). Mix all spices together and stir the mixture continuously on a low flame till they get roasted lightly and the nice fragrance of all the spices starts coming out.

6. Switch off the heat and transfer the spice mixture into a grinder jar. Coarsely grind the spice mixture so that all the things get mixed into each other. Do not grind it to make a smooth powder of the spices as it will impact the taste and texture of the pickle.

7. Put a coarsely grounded spice mixture in a bowl along with salt and turmeric (Haldi) powder.

8. Mix all the spices together.

9. Out of 2 cups, mustard oil put 1/3 of a cup into the spice mixture.

10. Mix it well to form a little moist textured spice mix for the pickle.

11. Add cleaned, dried and chopped thick red chili peppers ( Moti Sabut Lal Mirch, Achar Wali) slices into the pickle masala.

12. Mix all the things together and ensure that red chili pepper slices should not get broken into pieces.

13.  Keep them aside for 10 -15 minutes.

14. Meanwhile, heat mustard oil in the flame on a high flame till light smoke starts coming out of the oil, immediately switch off the heat and let it cool for 15-20 minutes.  This will make the taste of oil less pungent impart a nice flavor to the pickle.

15. When mustard oil gets cool down, put 1/4 cup of oil in a clean, dry and sterilized jar.

16. Now Put prepared pickle in the glass jar.

17. Now slowly pour all the remaining cooled oil slowly till all the chilies are submerged in oil. Do it slowly as oil needs to go down to the bottom by passing through and submerging all the Chilies till the top of the Jar. Place the lid on the jar and leave it for a day. After 24 hours, show sunlight to the jar for 8 days for 4-5 hours. After 8 days leave it as it is for the next 8 days. I know it’s a long time but you will get an absolutely delightful thick red chili pickle.

After 16-17 days, your spicy and delightful pickle is ready to be enjoyed with any kind of meal. It will enhance the flavor of any kind of food that you eat. You can store it up to a year.

How to make Red Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 cup Fresh CoconutChopped
• 2 tbsp Roasted Chana
• 1/2 tsp Ginger Grated
• 3-4 cloves Garlic
• 6-8 Kashmiri Dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp Hing
• Salt To taste
• 2 tsp Tamarind paste
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder

For the tempering

• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Hing
• 10-12 Curry leaves
• 2-3 Dry red chilies

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to make chutney in the jar of a blender.
2. Add a little water and grind to make a smooth chutney.

For the tempering

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.
3. Add heeng, curry leaves, and dry red chilies and let them crackle for a few seconds.
4. Pour the tempering over the chutney.
5. Mix well.
6. Serve the chutney with Idli, Dosa or Uttapam.

Safety profile

Capsaicin will irritate or burn your eyes or hands and might turn out burning sensation. Chili oil will stick with the skin, therefore wash hands totally once handling the peppers and take care of touching your hands to your eyes. remember that pepper dirt from grinding dried peppers will irritate throat and eyes. you’ll defend yourself by sporting a dirt mask and glasses.

If you discover you cannot take the warmth, cool off with a glass of milk. A supermolecule in milk known as casein will facilitate does capsaicin’s hearth.

Eating excess of red chili can cause stomach pain, diarrhea.

Red chili fun facts

• Chili peppers are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants, noted for their hot flavor.
• Chile peppers are native to South and Central America
• Chili peppers were domesticated more than 6,000 years ago in Mexico, in the region that extends across southern Puebla and northern Oaxaca to southeastern Veracruz.
• They were one of the first self-pollinating crops cultivated in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America.
• In early civilizations such as the Incas, Mayans and Aztec’s chili peppers were used as a currency.
• Peru is considered the country with the highest cultivated chili peppers diversity because it is a center of diversification where varieties of all five domesticates were introduced, grown, and consumed in pre-Columbian times.
• Bolivia is considered to be the country where the largest diversity of wild chili peppers is consumed.
• Chili was brought to the rest of the world by Christopher Columbus who discovered America in 1493. Christopher had set from Spain to reach India to bring spices such as pepper back to his country. Christopher not only mistook America for India but also mistook chili as the black pepper. That is how the chili got the name ‘chile pepper.’ He took chile pepper back to Spain where it became a very famous spice.
• Chili spread to the rest of the European countries. Chili became the indispensable spice in European cuisines.
• In 1498, the Portuguese explorer Vasco-da-Gama reached Indian shores bringing with him the pungent spice.
• Chili seeds were brought to North America for cultivation. In 1888, experiments began for the cross-breeding of chili plants. New breeds of chili plants were evolved. In 1906, a new variety of chili, Anaheim, was grown.
• Today, there are more than 400 different varieties of chilies found all over the world.
• Many of the most-common chili peppers are cultivars of Capsicum annuum, including the cayenne, jalapeño, serrano, and Thai chili peppers.
• Some of the hottest chili peppers include are cultivars of C. chinense, including the habanero, the Carolina Reaper, and the ghost chili pepper, or bhut jolokia, though Tabasco is a cultivar of C.
• The intensity of the “heat” of chili peppers is commonly reported in Scoville heat units (SHU).

• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the hottest chili pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper, with a measure of 1,569,300 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), a measurement that quantifies spiciness via the concentration of capsaicinoids in the peppers. For reference, bell peppers have a SHU measure of 0, and Tabasco sauce measures in at around 2,500 SHU, making the Carolina Reaper very deserving of its name.
• The substances that give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids.
• Capsaicin is produced by the plant as a defense against mammalian predators and microbes, in particular, a Fusarium fungus carried by hemipteran insects that attack certain species of chili peppers, according to one study.

• When peppers are consumed by mammals such as humans, capsaicin binds with pain receptors in the mouth and throat, potentially evoking pain via spinal relays to the brainstem and thalamus where heat and discomfort are perceived.
• There are only 40 calories in 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of chili pepper.
• Chili pepper is a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese and a good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus.
• Chili peppers can be eaten fresh or dried and are used to make chili powder and to flavor barbecue, hot curry, and other spicy sauces.
• India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of chili with 25% of the world’s total production.
• Chili Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in February on the grounds that hot food is most needed in a cold month.
• While capsaicin may burn and irritate the flesh of mammals, birds are completely immune to its effects. As a result, birds are largely responsible for helping wild peppers spread by eating them and excreting the seeds.
• The seeds are NOT the hottest part of peppers.
• It is at the point where the seed is attached to the white membrane inside the pepper that the highest concentration of capsaicin (the compound giving peppers their pungent flavor) is found.
• Capsaicin, which makes hot peppers “hot” to the human mouth, is best neutralized by casein, the main protein found in milk.
• November is National Pepper Month.
• The “heat” of chili peppers was historically measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), which is a measure of the dilution of an amount of chili extract added to sugar syrup before its heat becomes undetectable to a panel of tasters; the more it has to be diluted to be undetectable, the more powerful the variety and therefore the higher the rating.