"chilli" news and stories

Weighing in at 1,001,304 Scoville heat units, the Bhut Jolokia chili from India has been named the world's hottest pepper by the Guinness Book of World Records. Just to put that into perspective, the jalapeno sits at a meager 10,000 SHU.

Early last year, the world's hottest pepper recorded was the Red Savina chili, which registered at 577,000 SHU, but in April that changed to the Dorset Naga which tested between 876,000 and 970,000 SHU. When it gets that hot, I don't really know that the number really makes much of a difference!

The Scoville scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, was created to measure the heat level in chillies and is used world-wide today. To give you an idea where some of your favorite peppers sit on the list:

0 - Bell Pepper
100-500 - Pepperoncini
1000-1500 - Poblano
2500-10,000 - Jalapenos and Chipolte
5000-23,000 - Serrano
30,000-50,000 - Cayenne
80,000 & up - Habenero, Scotch Bonnet

(Thanks, Shaula!)
(edit: the photo credit link has been updated)

Find hot pepper recipes on KitchenDaily.com.

Source

Wow. All I can say when I look at Meena's Chilli Paneer on her blog Hooked on Heat is "wow." Sometimes I wonder if in a previous lifetime I was an Indian princess (not just Indian, but a princess!) because the spices, flavors and ingredients of Indian cuisine give me shivers like no other. Aside from the fact that this dish is absolutely glisteningly gorgeous in the photo, I was totally taken by how long, er rather, short the preparation time is. Meena sears the Indian cottage cheese cubes (which, to me, have a texture similar to a crumbly tofu) in oil, then basically stir fries them with onions, garlic, and chili peppers. The dark color comes, oddly enough, from soy sauce.

Running today and tomorrow (5 - 6 August 2006) is the UK's only Chilli Fiesta.

On display will be 250 different chilli varieties plus plenty of food tastings, how to grow demonstrations, plants to purchase plus light entertainment and food to buy. This is just one of a series of little shows over the coming weeks at Westdean. Still to come are apple and tomatoe based fairs. Westdean is 6 miles north of Chichester and 7 miles south of Midhurst on the A286. www.westdean.org.uk

Entry to each show is £6.50.

Source