Annabel Langbein
Add an endorphin hit to level 3 life with a healthy dose of chilli
During the lockdown, I enjoyed being part of various quarantine shares of recipes, books and poetry. When you’re in a very small bubble, any form of outside inspiration is appreciated.
In the many fabulous recipes that came my way via the quarantine recipe swap, chilli features prominently. Maybe we all feel the need to spice things up a bit, perhaps because chillies have the power to soothe and calm us.
Capsaicin, the substance that gives chillies their heat, is found in the greatest concentration in the white pith surrounding the seeds (the seeds actually have no heat at all). In hot countries chillies are the panacea of the poor, thanks to their ability to activate the production of those feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. The hotter the chilli, the bigger the endorphin hit delivered. As anyone who has dealt with some of the fierier kinds of chilli will attest, they can actually blister your skin. In those places where people munch down handfuls of chillies like sweet snack treats, there is a high incidence of mouth and throat cancer. But for those of us who enjoy a little kick of chilli and can cope with briefly breaking out in a sweat, it’s one of the easiest ways to get to that chilled-out feeling and certainly requires a lot less effort than going for a run.
Spiciness is not a taste, our tongues can only distinguish salty, bitter, sweet sour and umami. The spicy “taste” is actually a combination of a hot and pain sensation. As far as your brain can tell, your mouth is actually being burned. Chillies repress our ability to taste bitterness and enhance our perception of food being salty, so when you add chilli you don’t need to use as much salt.
One of the recipes I received was for Shatta, a fiery Palestinian condiment that rivals sriracha for addictiveness. It’s super-simple to make.
Finely chop 250g of green chillies, seeds and all and place in a sterilised jar. Add 1 Tbsp salt, cover tightly and put in the fridge for 3 days. Drain off and discard liquid, puree chillies finely, then put back into the jar adding 3 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Mix to combine, then pour over enough olive oil to cover the chilli puree by at least 1cm. Stir before serving as the oil will firm up when chilled. Mix into vegetables and serve with chicken, seafood or red meats. It’s a great thing to make right now, while chillies are in season.
Here are some other ways to enjoy the burn.