Chillies, How to Grow Them and
How to Eat Them
How do you spell it? There seem to be three different ways of spelling it. First, there is "Chile," which appears to be the authentic spelling. Then there is "Chili," which is the preferred spelling in American English. The British version adds an extra "l," resulting in "Chilli." Consequently, the plural forms are "Chilis" or "Chillis." Additionally, in our version, we sometimes add another "e" at the end, making it neither completely authentic nor grammatically correct, but we will stick with it for now as it is occasionally written that way here. We can fix it later.
To complicate matters, it is sometimes referred to as "Chilli Peppers," a name that even inspired a popular rock band many years ago.
Chillies are certainly one of the most intriguing plants created, primarily known for their heat. Their greatest value lies in the spicy flavor they add to numerous dishes, although they also have some lesser-known medicinal properties. On this page, we provide a brief introduction to the history of the famous chili pepper, its chemical makeup, and some basic guidelines on how to grow your own chillies and dry them, as we do. The photos on this page are from "Chil-a-bit," our own chili growing project.
Drying Chilli's Backyard Style
The Chilli family history
The botanical genus that encompasses all chillies is called Capsicum (pronounced CAP-see-coom), which derives from the Greek word "kapto," meaning 'to bite.' This is quite fitting, as you need to bite into chillies to truly experience their flavor and heat. Capsicum is also part of the larger Solanaceae family, commonly known as the Nightshade Family, making chillies closely related to other plants like tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco, and eggplants.
The active component of chillies is capsaicin, which creates a sensation of burning when it comes into contact with any tissue, not just in your mouth. While it acts as an irritant for both humans and animals, birds seem unaffected by it and can consume chilli seeds without any discomfort. Capsaicin, along with several related compounds, is classified as capsaicinoids, which is produced as a secondary metabolite by the Capsicum plants. Although I'm not entirely sure what the distinction between primary and secondary metabolites entails, I do know that both can produce a similar burning sensation.
Pure capsaicin is colorless and odorless, placing it in a potentially dangerous category of food products. There typically isn't any indication of its presence unless it's labeled on the packaging.
The active component of chillies is capsaicin, which creates a sensation of burning when it comes into contact with any tissue, not just in your mouth. While it acts as an irritant for both humans and animals, birds seem unaffected by it and can consume chilli seeds without any discomfort. Capsaicin, along with several related compounds, is classified as capsaicinoids, which is produced as a secondary metabolite by the Capsicum plants. Although I'm not entirely sure what the distinction between primary and secondary metabolites entails, I do know that both can produce a similar burning sensation.
Pure capsaicin is colorless and odorless, placing it in a potentially dangerous category of food products. There typically isn't any indication of its presence unless it's labeled on the packaging.
Chemical Makeup
Capsaicin is a chemical compound that "targets" nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes inside the mouth and throat. The chemical makeup of chillies consists of the following very long combination of chemical elements: (CH3)2CHCH=CH(CH2)4CONHCH2C6H3-4-(OH)-3-(OCH3). We trust the scientists on this one. With all those chemical compounds, one begins to understand why chillies have the potential to be so potent.
The Scoville Heat Scale
A pharmacist, likely with a passion for chillies, recognized the need for a way to measure the heat of different chilli cultivars. This led to the development of the Scoville Scale, which quantifies the spiciness of chillies. The scale measures the number of Scoville Heat Units (SHU), indicating the amount of capsaicin present in the chilli. Named after its creator, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the scale's original method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test.
Today, a more accurate method for analyzing capsaicin content involves liquid chromatography, which allows for the direct measurement of capsaicinoid levels. This modern technique is certainly more reliable than relying on taste tests and measuring the resulting decibel levels of someone's voice!.
See the "Hotter than the sun" -Infographic for a bit of fun.
Today, a more accurate method for analyzing capsaicin content involves liquid chromatography, which allows for the direct measurement of capsaicinoid levels. This modern technique is certainly more reliable than relying on taste tests and measuring the resulting decibel levels of someone's voice!.
See the "Hotter than the sun" -Infographic for a bit of fun.
Varieties
IAt this point, the spell checker may struggle to keep up. With nearly 3,000 different types of chilies, it’s understandable that there can be confusion in their classification based on various varieties. Most of us are familiar with those we see at local markets or grocery stores, but there are countless other varieties that are primarily grown for specialized markets. Domesticated chili varieties are classified into the following main groups:
Capsicum annuum, which includes many common varieties such as bell peppers, wax, cayenne, jalapeños, and the chiltepin.
Capsicum frutescens, which includes malagueta, tabasco and Thai peppers, Piri Piri, African birdseye chili, Malawian Kambuzi.
Capsicum Chinese, which includes the hottest peppers such as the naga, habanero, Datil and Scotch bonnet.
Capsicum pubescence, which includes the South American rocoto peppers.
Capsicum baccatum, which includes the South American aji peppers.
Trying our hand at drying Jalapenos
ORAC Units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)
ORAC is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities in food samples. The antioxidant values of foods are expressed in ORAC units, a unit of measurement for antioxidants developed by the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US. The antioxidant value of chili powder described in ORAC units is 23,636 μ mol TE/100g. (The ORAC value is expressed in micromoles (μ mol) of Trolox Equivalents (TE) per 100 grams of the sample).
Pests and Diseases
Capsicum varieties are unfortunately susceptible to a wide range of diseases and pests. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? However, the reward of a healthy crop far outweighs the challenges faced in the process of growing your own chilies. They are not the easiest plants to cultivate and will require patience and experience to maintain a healthy crop sustainably.
Correctly diagnosing diseases is critical, but doing so without expert assistance can be challenging. For backyard farmers, it often involves a learning process through trial and error. Many diseases display similar symptoms, and it's through experience or guidance from an expert that one can identify the underlying issues.
Every part of the plant, from the roots to the fruit, can be affected by diseases. Below is a list of the most common diseases and pests. Before you dive in, take a deep breath and appreciate those successful chili growers you may know.
Correctly diagnosing diseases is critical, but doing so without expert assistance can be challenging. For backyard farmers, it often involves a learning process through trial and error. Many diseases display similar symptoms, and it's through experience or guidance from an expert that one can identify the underlying issues.
Every part of the plant, from the roots to the fruit, can be affected by diseases. Below is a list of the most common diseases and pests. Before you dive in, take a deep breath and appreciate those successful chili growers you may know.
Major and Minor Pepper Virus (Cornell University)
(We need to update this link!)
We are almost finished with this introduction on how to grow chillies. One question remains: how do you eat them? The chillies at the top of the Scoville Scale, and even some lower down, can be inedible, so we should focus on those in the middle of the scale or further down. Most of these are the common red, thin, long varieties. It's best to avoid the yellow, black, and purple ones with unusual names, as they can lead to an emergency very quickly. There doesn't seem to be a common remedy for the burning sensation caused by these hot chillies, so if you can't handle the heat, it's better to steer clear of them. However, if you do want to give them a try, remember to relax, have a drink nearby, and take a bite, swallowing it down. Expect it to burn, so enjoy the experience, and perhaps even write a poem about it while contemplating the end of the universe. Some people say the thrill of eating hot chillies is addictive, but I haven't reached that point yet!
There is even an Chile Pepper Institute
(We need to update this link!)
We are almost finished with this introduction on how to grow chillies. One question remains: how do you eat them? The chillies at the top of the Scoville Scale, and even some lower down, can be inedible, so we should focus on those in the middle of the scale or further down. Most of these are the common red, thin, long varieties. It's best to avoid the yellow, black, and purple ones with unusual names, as they can lead to an emergency very quickly. There doesn't seem to be a common remedy for the burning sensation caused by these hot chillies, so if you can't handle the heat, it's better to steer clear of them. However, if you do want to give them a try, remember to relax, have a drink nearby, and take a bite, swallowing it down. Expect it to burn, so enjoy the experience, and perhaps even write a poem about it while contemplating the end of the universe. Some people say the thrill of eating hot chillies is addictive, but I haven't reached that point yet!
There is even an Chile Pepper Institute
This was page compiled by GAP Ministries on a hot day.