The chili pepper (also chile pepper or chilli pepper, from Nahuatl chīlli /ˈt͡ʃiːli/) is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. In Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and other Asian countries, the word pepper is usually omitted. The substances that give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) and several related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids. Chili peppers originated in the Americas. After the Columbian Exchange, many cultivars of chili pepper spread across the world, used in both food and medicine. Chilies were brought to Asia by Portuguese navigators during the 16th century. India is the worlds largest producer, consumer and exporter of chili peppers. Guntur in Andhra Pradesh produces 30% of all the chilies produced in India, and the state of Andhra Pradesh as a whole contributes 75% of Indias chili exports. Chilies are present in many cuisines. Some notable dishes other than the ones mentioned elsewhere in this article include: Paprikash from Hungary uses significant amounts of mild, ground, dried chilies, aka paprika, in a braised chicken dish. Paprykarz szczeciński is a Polish fish paste with rice, onion, tomato concentrate, vegetable oil, chili pepper powder and other spices. Chiles en nogada from the Puebla region of Mexico uses fresh mild chilies stuffed with meat and covered with a creamy nut-thickened sauce. Mole poblano from the city of Puebla in Mexico uses several varieties of dried chilies, nuts, spices, and fruits to produce a thick, dark sauce for poultry or other meats. Arrabbiata sauce from Italy is a tomato-based sauce for pasta always including dried hot chilies as well as, Puttanesca sauce which is tomato based with olives, capers, anchovy and, sometimes, chilies. Nduja a more typical example of Italian spicy speciality, from the region of Calabria. A soft, pork sausage made hot by the addition of the locally grown variety of jalapeño chili. Kung Pao chicken (also spelled Gong Bao) from the Sichuan region of China uses small hot dried chilies briefly fried in oil to add spice to the oil then used for frying. Som Tam a Green Papaya Salad from Thai/ Lao cuisine traditionally has, as a key ingredient, a fistful of chopped fresh hot Thai chili, pounded in a mortar. Nam phrik is a traditional Thai sauce prepared with chopped fresh or dry chilies in fish sauce and lime juice. Sambal Belacan (pronounced blachan) is a traditional Malay sauce made by frying a mixture of mainly pounded dried chillies and fermented prawn paste. It is customarily served with rice dishes and is especially popular when mixed with crunchy pan-roasted ikan bilis (sun dried anchovies) when it is known as Sambal Ikan Bilis. Curry dishes which usually contain fresh or dried chillies.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 11:39:53 +0000
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