Chillies............

[ELVIS68]

Is it true that the smaller the chilly the hotter it is?

And why do they remove the seeds and membrane on cookery shows but say you don`t have to if you don`t want to?

[pastafreak]

I know that of the chillies you can get in supermarkets, the birdeye are the hottest. But I don't know if that is a general rule of thumb. ....I don't know what the size is of the legendary Dorset naga.....
Supposedly the membrane and seeds hold a good deal of the heat.

[ELVIS68]

I usually buy the supermarket red chillies which are labelled as being hot..but they don`t really give the meal any "kick"

I`ve been tempted to just chop them whole but don`t want the meal to resemble a flame thrower on the throat five seconds after the food is swallowed

[pastafreak]

The birdeye will give you a nice kick...just build up gently-lol

[Ice.Maiden]

Generally speaking, I think the smaller chillies seem to be the hottest, but the supermarket ones don't seem to "bite" all that much. Go to an Asian outlet, or market where you can search for some really good ones.

[crazycathy2]

Yes that is usaully the case

It depends on taste as to how hot you like them. We grew some habanero chillies once and they were even hot when you picked them from the plant!!!!

Pasta's right Dorset Naga, Naga Morich and Bhut Jolokia are the 3 hottest chillies in the world. There is a chillie farm a few miles away from us

[Ice.Maiden]

Blimey Cathy - hope there's a toilet paper factory as well!!?

[crazycathy2]

LOL ice.maiden - hadn't thought of that

It's pick your own as well - bet not any people eat them like when you're picking strawberries!! Think they supply waitrose sauces

[Ice.Maiden]

Seriously - pick your own??? Mind you, I think once they crop - they crop! Bet they can't get rid of them fast enough, because they'd grow well in the heat, but shrivel quickly I'd imagine?

[ELVIS68]

Nothing worse than cooking a meal and then eating it without the "kick" of the chillies

[pastafreak]

Oooo...scotch bonnets are lovely.

don't forget...if you've loads of chillies....you can always freeze them.

[Ice.Maiden]

Speaking of which - did you know that you can get chilli ice cream?

[crazycathy2]

Ice.Maiden seriously it is pick your own - I think they might do other vegetables too - I read about it in the local rag a few weeks ago -

http://www.gabrielash.com/19143017-pick-your-o wn-in-bedfordshire-chilli-farm.html

[Mr.Nose]

have you ever been chillied in the face.....it's fun