How to cool the burn of chiles

by Sarah Gilbert, Posted Aug 14th 2005 @ 5:40PM

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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Filed Under: Science, Hacking Food
Tags: hacking food

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-19-2005 @12:38PM Finished.Law.School said... Yogurt definitely works.
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9-01-2005 @3:40AM Elias said... Guacamole is also a delightful cure to the deleterious burning of capsaicin.
I never thought of oily fingers as a means to prevent future spicy irritation, but it's a great idea.
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9-23-2005 @9:51PM Dulce said... I once made the mistake of putting an entire toothpick sized sample* of a condiment labelled 'Hot' in Eastern Washington - home of many emigre Mejicanos - in my mouth. Several minutes later, still in intense pain, I forced my companion to take me to the nearest Starbucks. I begged for a small cup of straight cream ... for the desperately in pain, drastic measures are necessary!
* And I LOVE hot food!
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