Chilli

Chillis are good for you

On Chilli

Chilli extract (Capsaicin) is used to suppress protesting crowds. It’s a potent force (as you’ll know if you’ve ever watched hot ones or undertaken a hot sauce challenge at a merciless restaurant). I’m sure you are aware of the claims of chilli being good for circulation, the heart, and for fighting cancer http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/36/3/837.full.

There is also evidence of anti microbial and anti viral properties. http://researcherslinks.com/current-issues/Antiviral-Activities-of-Capsicum-annuum-Methanolic-Extract-against-Herpes-Simplex-Virus-1-and-2/20/1/301/html

I can find no data as to whether dried or fresh are better but, it would seem logical to surmise that fresh would be best as flavanoids can be destroyed by drying and other volatile chemicals that could amplify the effects of some of the more potent compounds in synergy are often lost. Using the whole fruit (seeds too) also seems to be the best path to maximise the healthy effects that you are after.

When you are cooking chillis, frying in oil brings out the heat and flavour as the chemicals such as capsaicin are non-polar therefore won’t dissolve in water but will in organic solvents (oil or alcohol basically). However, if you turn the heat up too high, you will damage or destroy a lot of these compounds and literally be doing a homestead version of crowd suppression. We’ve all burnt chillis and we’ve all run over to the windows, coughing and eyes streaming and thrown them open to remedy our errors.      

We’re talking chilli so what else am I gonna say but we’re making chilli? It’s gonna be the only recipe here cos you can fill your face with simple capsaicin by adding hot sauce to everything in front of you. As it’s the only recipe, this one won’t be so simple. Personally I genuinely feel that a good vegan chilli is better than any meat based one I’ve ever had and is more authentic. Poor rural communities rarely eat meat and rural Mexico is pretty poor. This is a good recipe and you will not regret making it properly rather than pouring a sad pre-fab chilli sauce from a bottle over your ingredients.                          

Roman’s amazing vegan chilli (v)

A true labour of love, Roman is rather proud of this one.

A note on this recipe

My friends have stolen many chilli tips from me (I in turn have stolen much of what is written from a close friend who is some kind of culinary visionary) ,but still when guests eat my friends’ chillis, their faces flushed with enjoyment and their lips imbuing thanks and blessings upon the creator: I am known to be an utter bastard and say “It’s not as good as mine”. My friends look downwards and reply in small voices “I know”. That said, when I have chilli made by my friend from whom I stole a lot of these concepts (the nutritionist and nutritional therapist). I angrily shout at her “WHY IS MY F***ING CHILLI STILL NOT AS GOOD AS YOURS?!?!”.

To which she smiles sweetly and answers “You don’t think so? This is so good. Thank you!” Sometimes I hate her. But I honestly hope that this chilli works out for you.

There is much in there that can sweep illnesses aside and in the prevention of covid 19 or the recovery it would be a potent part of the arsenal. Particularly so if you can take a serious wallop of chilli heat. I wouldn’t overdo the garlic in this; it will overpower too many other things. But a lot of heat if done well in no way negates flavour and if you have the balls – or what is it that ladies have cos what ever it is they have more of it than we have balls – then you can go terrifying levels of nuclear with this but to do so you need good, powerful chillis. Not lots of ‘kinda hot’ chillis, that will ruin things.

The old adage of “It only tastes of heat” is the result of too many curries made by the slapdash. It is entirely unnecessary otherwise the Indian subcontinent would not be the eye opening culinary adventure that it is.