Johannesburg - We South Africans love our chilli. The heat can become quite addictive. That’s because when we eat a substance called capsaicin, found in the pepper’s white membrane, it stimulates the brain to release the feel-good endorphins.
Normally the smaller the chilli, the hotter it is. The mildest points are at the tips, so if you want to test the heat, cut the tip and taste it cautiously.
If you want to have a milder chilli taste, discard the seeds and membrane from a chilli.
If you are preparing large quantities of chillies, it’s best to wear gloves. The chilli oils will penetrate your skin and if you touch your fingers to your eyes or other sensitive areas, it will be very painful.
I found rubbing my fingertips with lemon juice and salt helped remove the chilli burn.
Also, work in a well-ventilated area as the fumes given off by the chillies can irritate the throat and cause coughing and choking.
To dry chillies, string them by running a needle and thick thread through the thickest part of the stem and hang them outdoors in a dry, sunny spot until they are dried out. This can take up to three weeks, depending on the weather. When dry, store in an airtight container or crush in a blender to make a chilli powder.
To freeze chillies, deseed and roughly chop the chillies. Place in a blender with a little water and chop finely. Place in ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Pop out the cubes and put them into plastic bags and return to the freezer. When you need chilli for a recipe, just remove a block or two to use.
THAI BEEF SALAD
Serves 4-6
500g rump steak
olive oil to brush
salt and pepper
Dressing
60ml lime juice
30ml fish sauce
25ml palm sugar or brown sugar
10ml sesame oil
15ml grated ginger
10ml chopped garlic
1 stalk of lemongrass, very finely chopped
1-2 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
Salad
200g baby tomatoes, halved
half an English cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and cubed
2-3 long red chillies, seeded and sliced
125ml mint leaves
125ml coriander leaves
125ml basil, roughly torn
Brush the steak with a little olive oil and cook on a griddle pan over a high heat until medium rare.
Remove and set aside. Season with salt and pepper.
Leave to stand for 10 minutes before slicing into strips.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour half the dressing over the meat slices and set aside for 10 minutes.
SALAD: Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper and chillies and mix. Add in the meat with its marinade.
Add the herbs and the remaining dressing and toss to combine.
Pile the salad on to a serving plate.
COURGETTE AND CARROT SALAD
Serves 4-6
4-6 courgettes
2 large carrots, peeled
200g baby tomatoes, halved
1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced
125ml coriander leaves
60ml roasted peanuts
125ml coconut flakes, lightly toasted
Dressing
60ml lime juice
30ml fish sauce
15-20ml honey
15ml sweet chilli sauce
5ml chopped garlic
2 long red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
Trim the end of the courgettes and, using a mandolin or a potato peeler, thinly shave into ribbons. Place in a bowl.
Using a potato peeler, thinly shave the carrots into ribbons. Place in the bowl.
Pour over the dressing and set aside for the vegetables to soften.
Before serving, add in the tomatoes, spring onion and coriander. Pile on to a serving dish and sprinkle over the peanuts and coconut flakes.
DRESSING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
CURRIED MINCE WITH SCRAMBLED EGG
Serves 4-6
30ml oil
2 onions, finely chopped
10ml chopped ginger
10ml chopped garlic
5ml ground chilli powder
3ml turmeric
10ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
5ml garam masala
4-5 green chillies, seeded and chopped
500g lamb or beef mince
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced
30ml tomato paste
80ml chopped coriander
80ml chopped mint
salt and pepper
5 eggs, beaten
toasted ciabatta bread to serve
Heat the oil and fry the onion over a medium heat until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Add the spices and chillies and fry until fragrant.
Add the mince and turn up the heat until the meat is nicely browned.
Break up all the lumps with a wooden spoon.
Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 10 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the coriander and mint and season.
Pour the beaten egg over the mince and stir gently until the egg is cooked to your liking. Serve on slices of toasted bread.
GREEN FISH CURRY
Serves 4-6
400g tin of coconut cream
80ml desiccated coconut
125ml cashew nuts, lightly toasted
5ml brown sugar
5-6 green chillies, half of them seeded and chopped
500ml coriander leaves
grated rind and juice of 2-3 limes
15ml chopped garlic
30ml chopped ginger
3ml turmeric
10ml ground cumin
5ml salt
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
250g pumpkin or butternut, cubed
500ml fish stock
500g firm white fish, cut into chunks
In a blender or processor, add the coconut cream, desiccated coconut, cashew nuts, sugar, chillies, coriander, lime rind and juice, garlic, ginger, spices and salt and blend until smooth.
Transfer the paste to a pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and pumpkin and stir to coat with the paste.
Add the stock and simmer until the vegetables are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the fish and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.
GREEN CHILLI CHICKEN STIR-FRY
Serves 4
1 stem of lemongrass, finely chopped
15ml chopped garlic
4 green chillies, seeded and chopped
45ml fish sauce
25ml brown sugar
peanut oil for frying
500g chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
1 onion, chopped
500g mix of stir-fry vegetables that contain cabbage
60ml chicken stock
1 bunch bok choy, washed
45ml lime juice
60ml chopped basil
In a mini chopper, combine the lemongrass, garlic, chillies, fish sauce and sugar. Blend to form a paste.
Heat oil in a wok or frying pan and cook the chicken in batches until nicely browned. Remove and set the chicken aside. Add more oil to the wok and stir-fry the onion and the vegetables until just soft.
Return the chicken to the wok, add stock and paste and cook for a few minutes. Add the bok choy and cook until wilted. Stir in the lime juice and basil and serve immediately.
HARISSA PASTE
Makes about 250ml
50g dried red chillies
1 large red pepper, seeded and cut into quarters lengthways
10ml chopped garlic
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml caraway seeds, lightly toasted
45ml lemon juice
5ml salt
60ml sunflower oil
Soak the chillies in boiling water until very soft – for at least 30-40 minutes. Remove the stalks and seeds.
Place the pepper on a tray and grill until the skin is charred. Remove and place in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to cool. Remove the skin and roughly chop.
Put the chillies, pepper, garlic, spices, lemon juice and salt into a blender and mix until nearly smooth. With the machine running, add in the oil.
Spoon the mixture into a jar and seal. Refrigerate. Keeps for up to a month.
* The mixture can also be blended successfully with a stick blender.
The Star