EVOCATIVE, exciting eye-candy – that’s how I’d describe chilli peppers. Plus, eye-watering if you eat the wrong one raw! The heat we taste, measured in Scoville heat units (SHUs), is due to plant chemicals in the seed coat called capsaicinoids.
While milder chillies have a thicker seedcoat (known as the placenta) that protects the seeds from damage, hotter varieties like ‘Naga Viper’ and ‘Trinidad Scorpion’ have a thinner yet capsaicin-packed placenta. This protects the seed from rots as well as mammalian predators via its antimicrobial activity – and the fact that it tastes foul! Some folk get a buzz from the ‘feel-good’ endorphins produced in response to the painful heat (the oils in full-fat milk or yoghurt dissolve capsaicin; use these to quell the fire in your mouth). But seed companies are developing mild varieties like ‘Biquinho Yellow’ and ‘Bellaforma’ for those who prefer less heat.
“Grow in pots to
