02\ Hot To Handle Burn After Reading

To avoid getting burned, you need to know a chilli’s bark from its bite. Food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond, who worked with Encona for the launch of its Carolina Reaper hot sauce, breaks down the constituent parts of the classic capsicum annuum

Placenta

Capsaicin is the source of a chilli’s power and this is produced and stored as minute droplets in the white, pithy placenta. Nearly all of the heat (and little of the pleasure) comes from the oil in here. Discard.

Apex

The mildest part of the chilli – the tip. If you’re new to this, tackle this end and leave the rest alone. Or you could, you know, grow a pair and get stuck in.

Calyx

The fibrous stem, which connects the chilli to the rest of the plant, is best removed before cooking. In small peppers this is a good entry point for opening up the fruit to remove the seeds.

Seeds

Despite the myth, these aren’t the culprits – in fact, they’re usually flavourless and contain very little capsaicin. However, they are more often than not coated in oil from the ‘placenta’, which is why it’s unwise to take a toilet break directly after deseeding.

Exocarp

The ‘skin’ of the pepper. Different colours indicate the presence of different healthy properties: yellow peppers contain vision-protecting lutein, orange pack immunising beta-carotene, and red peppers boost your levels of vitamin A.

Mesocarp

The water-rich flesh of the chilli is what gives the pepper its crunch, texture and structure. It’s also what lends it that fruity flavour that tastes so good raw in your Indian and Mexican dishes.