How to cool the burn of chiles

The chemical capsaicin, the component that makes pepper and chiles hot, is a tricky one. Drinking water, as Lynne Rossetto Kasper of The Splendid Table reminds us, does not relieve the burn. Capsaicin bonds with fat, so cream, whole milk, yogurt, and other creamy things are the best antidote. In most cuisine from hot, hot, spicy places, like India and Indonesia, citrusy yogurt and other creamy concoctions are used to counteract ultra-hot foods. If you're cutting chiles, Kasper explains, you can prevent irritation: "Scrub with lemon or vinegar; coat your skin with oil before you start working with the chiles," or "slip plastic bags over your hands" before you start chopping.
 

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