• Cooks should be considerate when using chilli peppers as an ingredient. Spice should be a flavour enhancer, so save very hot dishes for friends who enjoy a chilli challenge.
• Be careful when preparing chillis. The heat from the juices of the chilli may 'stick' to your fingers, so avoid rubbing your eyes. Wearing disposable gloves can be a good idea.
• The majority of the 'heat' in a chilli is found in the seeds. To decrease/increase the heat of a dish, discard/include seeds.
• Capsaicin, the compound found in chillies that creates the heat, is fat-soluble. Some milk or yogurt is therefore the most effective solution to a fiery mouthful; water will not really help.
• The heat in chillies makes you feel good. It stimulates the release of endorphins - the 'happy' chemical produced by the pituitary gland that is also released during strenuous exercise and orgasm.

The Scoville Scale

In 1912, Wilbur Scoville developed a method to determine the heat level in chilli peppers - the greater the number of Scoville Heat Units, the hotter the chilli.

N.B. It is extremely difficult to measure the exact rating of a chilli as it is a natural product and therefore varies greatly.

Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of Chilli Peppers
350,000-580,000: Red Savina Habanero
100,000-350,000: Habanero, Scotch Bonnet
100,000-200,000: African Birdseye
30,000-50,000: Ají, Cayenne, Tabasco
5,000-23,000: Serrano
2,500-8,000: Jalapeño
1,000-1,500: Poblano
500-2,500: Anaheim
100-500: Pimento
0: Bell pepper

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