Chilli
Capsicum annuum · Chilli pepper
51 varietiesTop 10 pairings
Chillies are pungent pods whose capsaicin fools the body into feeling burning heat. Fresh, dried, ground or roasted, they are the backbone of spicy cooking from Mexico to Sichuan.
Picking a good onedrag
UnderripeOverripe
Red ripePeakIt's sweetest and hottest now. Roast it, make chilli oil or sauce, or string it to dry.
ColourFully turned, bright even red
The pressFirm, springs straight back
Cap and stalkCap green and tight, stalk firming
Smell at the capWarm and fruity over the green
Reading a just ripe one. Move the slider and the rest of this page — nutrition, pairings — updates with it.
What you get from one
73%
Edible part
45 g · fresh pod, stem and seeds out
62 g
Weight each
each one
Keeping ittap a temperature
Below 7 °C the skin pits and the cap moulds: in two weeks at 5 °C, in days at 0 °C.
90-95%
Humidity
Loosely bagged
Airflow