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Imagine you have decided to make your favourite spicy dish, and discover, much too late, you don't have any Chillies. Now you are stumped. Nothing can replace that unique taste that only Chiilies can provide, so you will have to say goodbye to your idea. Running out of Chillies is a big No, No!

To ensure this doesn't happen to you in real life, consider the following ideas to ensure that you have Chillies available when you need them.

Freezing

Chillies freeze well, but to use them after they have been frozen, you need to know a trick. Rather than defrosting your Chillies when they come out of the freezer, use them as they are – still frozen. If you defrost them, you stand the chance that they will become mushy. When still frozen, they can use them whole or chopped up in your cooking.

Drying

Drying Chillies is a good way to always have a supply. They can be rehydrated in warm water or used as Chilli flakes or powder when ground in a spice mill. Alternatively, they can be kept whole and then grated over food when it is being prepared. This is a great way to preserve any surplus from your harvest of homegrown Chillies. To learn how dry Chillies follow this link

Chilli pastes and oils

Easy to make Chilli pastes and oil add fantastic spiciness to dishes.

Hot sauces

Make hot sauces to add flavour to spicy casseroles and stews like Feijoada and Chili

Canning

Canning Chillies with either Vinegar or fermentation means you not only have a supply of preserved Chillies, but also Chilli infused Vinegar as well

Growing you own

This is probably the best of all. Having your own homegrown Chillies means you simply pick your Chillies (in summer at least) when you need them.

All these ways of ensuring that you always have Chillies are easy to do. If you follow at least two of these ideas, you will always be able to tide yourself over until you are able to restock

Can't be without Chillies!

Chilli Honey

CGS Cooking with Chillies 2nd May 20247th May 2024 0 Comment

Sweet heat

In a world where culinary experimentation knows no bounds, Chilli Honey has emerged as a true game-changer. Picture this: a velvety stream of golden honey infused with the fiery essence of red chillies. It’s a marriage of flavours that dances on your palate, leaving behind a tantalizing trail of sweet heat that keeps you coming back for more.

Chilli honey isn’t just a condiment—it’s a culinary adventure waiting to unfold. With its irresistible blend of sweetness and spice, it has the power to transform even the simplest of dishes into extraordinary culinary creations. Whether you’re a daring foodie on the hunt for your next flavour obsession or a curious home cook looking to add a little excitement to your meals, chilli honey is here to take your taste buds on a wild ride.

Chilli honey is typically made by infusing honey with chilli peppers. The process involves adding chillies to honey and allowing the flavours to meld together over time. The heat level of the chili honey can vary depending on the type and amount of chili peppers used. Some people prefer milder peppers like jalapeños for a subtle kick, while others opt for hotter varieties like habaneros or ghost peppers for a more intense heat. It’s a versatile condiment, adding a sweet and spicy flavour to various dishes like glazes, marinades, dressings, or even just drizzled over cheese or fruit.

So, buckle up and prepare to embark on a journey of flavour exploration like never before. From savoury to sweet, from snacks to cocktails, the possibilities are endless when you have a bottle of this fabulous honey in your pantry. Join me as we dive into the wonderful world of this delectable elixir and discover the countless ways it can elevate your culinary creations.

Naga Chillis Scoville ratings

CGS Chilli varieties 5th April 20246th April 2024 0 Comment

Delving into Naga Chillies Scoville ratings

When delving into the world of Naga chillies and their counterparts, understanding Scoville ratings provides invaluable insights into the sheer potency of these fiery Chillies . Take, for example, the Naga Jolokia, Dorset Naga, and Naga Morich—each renowned for their exceptional heat. These Chillies proudly flaunt Scoville ratings that soar up to a staggering 1600 000 SHU or more, firmly establishing them among the hottest Chillies on the planet.

Wilbur Scoville, an American pharmacist, invented the Scoville Organoleptic Test in 1912 to measure the pungency of chillies His method involved diluting Chilli extracts in sugar water and relying on human taste testers to determine the level of heat. This pioneering work led to the development of the Scoville scale, which remains a widely used tool for quantifying the spiciness of Chillies .

Scoville ratings are a method of measuring the heat of Chilies. But beyond mere heat, Scoville ratings serve a crucial role in empowering cooks and aficionados to tailor their culinary creations to suit their individual preferences. For those who relish the thrill of a mild tingle, lower-rated chillies offer a gentle introduction to the world of spice, infusing dishes with a subtle warmth that tantalizes the palate without overwhelming it. On the other hand, for those brave souls who crave the fiery inferno, higher-rated Naga chillies provide an exhilarating journey into the realm of intense heat, elevating dishes to new heights of flavour and excitement.

With Scoville ratings as their guide, cooks can skilfully navigate the vast landscape of spicy cuisine, striking the perfect balance between flavour and intensity. Whether crafting a delicate curry infused with the gentle warmth of Naga Morich or concocting a blistering hot sauce featuring the bold punch of the Naga Jolokia, each dish becomes a masterpiece of culinary artistry, tailored to satisfy even the most discerning palates.

How long do Rocotos take to grow?

Seed to maturity period

As a follow on to my previous posts on growing Rocoto Chillies I decided to research how they would take to grow. This is what I found:

Apparently Rocotos have a pretty long seed to the maturity growth period. It takes ten to twenty days for the seeds to germinate. Then, after germination, they will go through a series of potting -ons until they are in one-litre pots. This could take anything up to two months or even longer. After all, plants grow more slowly in winter. The first opportunity will be potted on for the last time, hardened off and then placed outdoors for the rest of the season. It can then take over one hundred days after this until they bloom and set fruit. Apparently, Rocotos grow quite quickly but take a long time before they flower produce fruit

One thing I am going to have to consider is the temperature at which I start the seeds. I usually start seeds at between twenty-six and thirty two degrees Celsius. I would imagine this Chilli should be started at lower temperatures because of its origins. Seed starting temperature is something I will need to experiment with for these Chillies. I will probably begin two batches in heated propagators. One at a lower temperature, say in the region of eighteen and twenty three degrees Celsius, and the other at between twenty-six and twenty-nine degrees. It will be interesting to see what starting temperature is the best

Guidelines to making sausages

You will be amazed just how many recipes there are to make sausages. Even more impressive is just how many of these are spicy. More and more Chillies are being used in sausages. Even previously unheard-of practice, like adding Chillies to pork bangers or hot dogs are now commonplace.

Making sausages is a lot easier than it sounds, and once you get into making your own, you will never stop. It's great fun. However, to have a reasonable chance of success at sausage making, the following needs to be considered:

Foremost, while it is not necessary to have a mincer or sausage stuffer to make sausages, not having them will complicate things. It is possible to buy already minced meat and use a piping bag to stuff it into casings. Doing so, however, is absolutely no fun. The sausages get too much filling (or too little) and it is generally very tricky and messy. .

It's far better to invest in a combined mincer/stuffer or to buy each piece separately. They are not that expensive. What's more, it will be one of the best investments you make. Not only will you save money (home-made sausages are far cheaper), but you will also have the ability to make a product that will look really good.

Top tips

To improve your chances of success follow these tips. These tips can make a difference if you want great sausages.

Always use the freshest meat you can buy. Don't get caught in using meat that is past its best. It's just not worth it.
Many sausages, including Boerewors and Merguez, benefit from having a high-fat content. Aim towards a fat to meat ratio content of about fifteen percent. Anything less, and your sausages will be dry when they get cooked.
Always make sure the meat you are using for making sausages is well chilled before mincing it. Slightly frozen meat is a lot easier to mince
If using natural casings, soak them overnight in water. Soaking the sausages will remove the salt in which they are preserved. Rinse them the next day in freshwater. Place the casings into lukewarm water 30 minutes before beginning stuffing
Add the spices, salt, and any wine or vinegar to the meat prior to mincing. This will ensure everything is well distributed through the sausage
Do not overstuff the sausages with too much filling. You will need to tie them into links, but also if they are overfilled, they will burst when you cook them. You don't want all precious flavour spilling into the pan. Try and keep it in sausage
Vaccum pack any sausages you do not intend eating within a couple of days for freezing. Sausages freeze well for six to eight months.

If you have read these guidelines. You are ready to go. It's time to start making sausages. Find the recipe you want to use, grind your meat and add the spices. From here, you can begin stuffing the casings. Soon you will be tasting your fine sausages. It will be a great moment.

Making Chilli sticks

Getting the basics right

Chilli sicks are a snack made in South African cooking and charcuterie with Chillies. In essence, Chiili sticks are thin slices of meat that are marinated, coated in spices (including Chilli flakes) and then dried. They are very similar to American beef jerky. Nothing is more straightforward to make and such a treat to eat.

Chilli sticks , however, need a suitable climate to be made successfully. Chilli sticks need to be dried in a cool, dry environment with good air circulation ( even a light breeze if possible). Unless you live somewhere that meets those conditions, I have no doubt that a biltong box is the only way to make Biltong or Chilli sticks. It makes things so much easier. After you have marinated and added the salt to the meat you are ready to start the drying process . You simply hang the meat strips up in the biltong box, and it does all the work for you. A low wattage light bulb and a fan help to dehydrate the meat. All you are left to do is check after a day or so. If your Chilli sticks have dried to your preferred level of dryness, there you are. Perfect Chilli sticks. All the guesswork (and stress) has been taken care of . The only thing to do is vacuum seal the sticks in plastic . This is to ensure that they don't dry out any more and stay fresh.

From here your life will never be the same. Your friends will be suddenly visiting more often and not be happy unless you offer them some . Be warned, Chilli sticks are highly addictive !

Ingredients

To make about 600 to 700 grams of Chilli sticks, you will need the following ingredients

Silverside – one kilogram
Coarse salt – two tablespoons
Cider vinegar - 75ml
Worcester sauce – two tablespoons
Dried coriander - ¼ of a cup
Black peppercorns – two teaspoons
Brown sugar - one tablespoon
Chilli flakes – one tablespoon

Method

It is always preferable to use meat that has some fat on it. This fat is really delicious when the meat has dried. Always use the freshest meat you can get.

Cut the meat into slices 6 to 12 inches in length and about half an inch thick.
Mix the Worcester sauce and the vinegar. Pour about a quarter of the mixture into a flat dish. Stack a layer of meat on top of this . Now pour some more of the vinegar/ sauce mixture over that. Continue in this fashion until all the meat has been placed in the dish. Finish with the last of the mixture
Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Remove from the refrigerator. Take the meat out of the dish. Now beginning with the layer that was previously on top, start stacking the beef in the container again. In this way, you ensure that meat will be marinaded equally in the vinegar / Worcester sauce mixture. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator for a further hour.
Place the coriander seeds in a frying pan. Toast on low heat until they are starting to become fragrant.
Remove from the heat and allow the seeds to cool down.
Place the black peppercorns and toasted coriander seeds into a grinder. Grind coarsely
Mix the salt with the ground spices, the Chilli flakes and the sugar.
Using a teaspoon sprinkle the marinated pieces on both sides with salt/spice/suger mix.
Place back in the refrigerator for two hours.
Brush of any excess salt and spices.
Hang the meat in a biltong box to cure

Finally

As soon as the meat is hard to the touch, the Chilli sticks are ready. You should be able to break the sticks when bending them. The time it will take will depend on the biltong box that you use, but this shouldn't take more than a day or two. Once you have decided that the Chilli sticks are to your taste, take them out of the box and vacuum seal them in plastic. This step is entirely optional, though. Chilli sticks have a habit of rapidly disappearing!

Enjoy

South African Chillies

Introducing Weymouth 51 Chilli sauces

CGS Chilli chat - Talking about the Chilli 31st January 202318th April 2023 0 Comment

Dorset Chilli Festival

When I met David Tamlyn of Weymouth51 earlier this year at the at the Dorset Chilli festival I sensed there was an interesting story to be told about this interesting character in the UK Chilli world. As a blogger on the Chilli Workshop, I am always interested to find out how Chilli sauce businesses came into being. To me it is a fascinating subject.

What initially caught my eye was the interesting names he had for his Chilli sauces, including Rhubarb and Custard, Tutti Fruity and Scorpion on the beach. Never mind the likes of Rockfish Oyster Drizzle, Allotment Special and The Kicker. These names really intrigued me, so I had to find out more. To do just that I asked David if I could interview him. He agreed and what I found out didn’t fail to disappoint.

I learnt that Rhubarb and Custard got its name when David (who grows his own Chillies) noticed that a mixture of yellow and red Chillies (Yellow Jigsaws, Jamaican Yellow, Yellow Trinidad Perfume, Lemon Aji and Red Naga Chillies) he had picked to make sauce and placed in a wheelbarrow looked remarkably like the dessert. Thus, the name was borne Read more

Planting Chilli seeds early

CGS Growing chillies 21st December 20229th April 2023 2 Comments

Starting now

On Saturday I started some Chilli seeds. They are currently in heated propagators in a grow tent where the temperature is controlled to be between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius. I expect the seeds to germinate in the next week or so

These seed have been started at least a month before I would normally start my season. This is something I have tried previously, but have never been able to achieve the results I wanted. My seedlings germinated easily enough, but after that they didn’t grow well at all.

This year I have decided that I will harness every bit of knowledge I have about growing Chillies to find a better way of doing things. I want to control every part of the propagation and growing stages to the Nth degree and find out whether this has the desired effect.

When it comes to plant growth there are two things above the ground that need to be considered. The first is the temperature and secondly is the amount of light. Light is the energy that powers a plants growth through photosynthesis. Without it, plants would be able to grow

Now, my theory is that seeds don’t know what season it is when they germinate. If the conditions are right (i.e. moisture, heat etc) a seed will germinate. From there, the amount of light a plant receives will determine how well it will grow. Temperatures also need to be conducive to growth

A guide to freezing Chillies

CGS Cooking with Chillies 16th November 202217th November 2022 0 Comment

How to freeze Chillies

The end of the Chilli growing season for 2022 is fast approaching. If your Chillies are ripe or at least a mature green, now is the time to pick them. If you have a big harvest , besides drying Chillies, pickling them or turning them into hot sauces, relishes, jams or chutneys, a great way of preserving Chillis to freeze them. Alternatively, it might be better to bring them in doors as if the first frost arrives. Otherwise, you will have to throw them away. They will become mushy, and they will not be able to be stored

Freezing Chillies can be done in two ways. The first method is to freeze them with their stalks intact; the second is to chop them finely and place them in ice trays. When freezing in ice- trays fill the individual cavities as much as possible and then fill the cavity with a little water. Once the trays have been frozen, remove the Chilli cubes and place them in a resealable plastic bag and place them in your freezer. Then when cooking, it simply becomes a matter of removing a cube from the bag and popping it into whatever ever you are making.

When freezing them whole place the Chillies in resealable bag and remove as much air as possible before resealing the bag . Once they have been frozen whole they can be chopped into pieces and added into food. They can also be grated while still frozen into any dish you are preparing.

History of hot sauce in the UK – Part 2

CGS Cooking with Chillies 23rd May 202213th July 2023 0 Comment

A soldier’s best friend

In my previous post on this subject, I mentioned that members of the Armed Forces are great fans of hot sauces. So much so, they even take them on twenty-four-hour combat missions as a standard part of their operational ration packs.

If hot sauces are so important that soldiers take them into combat, just imagine where else they are used. Hot sauce goes on everything from the eggy, cheesy, hammy, bread on submarines to the breakfast fried eggs in an army mess hall. It is almost certainly used in the cuisine enjoyed by officers. Hot sauce is a soldier’s best friend

Where it is easy to find hot sauces back in the United Kingdom nowadays, but this was not always the case. Often when soldiers returned from overseas tours of duty, they would soon discover the hot sauces they had come to love in other parts of the world were hard to find. It wasn’t that they couldn’t get their hands on Tabasco® or Lingham’s Chilli sauce (see note). These sauces had already been in the UK for a long time, and were already national favourites. It was more a matter of trying to find the types of sauces they had enjoyed overseas. These sauces were far different to the ones back home.

It is likely the only way to get around this was to grow Chillies and make their own hot sauces. However, this solution was not that easy to achieve. Seeds for Chillies were not that easy to find, and not all soldiers were gardeners (or cooks for that matter). Sadly, this meant they had to go without their favourite sauce. It was a crazy situation, you needed hot sauce, but couldn’t buy it for love nor money.

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