Mexican Meals: The Truth About Chile Peppers

One popular belief is that the heat from chile comes from the seeds. This is a myth. The truth is the heat comes from a substance called capsaicin which is actually found in the veins of the chile. The seeds lie close to the veins which is probably why some think the heat comes from the seeds. So, when you’re cooking with chile and want to reduce the amount of heat from the chile, be sure to remove the veins. You may also want to remove the seeds, however, because they tend to be bitter and have an unpleasant taste and texture.

Another popular belief is that eating chile is habit forming. This is partially true and partially untrue. The heat from chile causes pain in your mouth and when pain is present, your brain releases endorphins to relieve the pain. The release of these endorphins gives us that euphoric, good feeling and so we associate eating chile with feeling good, therefore we want to eat more which seems to be habit forming. Since chile is good for you, I say eat all the chile you want and feel good too!

How to Reduce the Heat in Chile

Ever taken a bite out of a jalapeno or other hot chile? Or how about tried one of those hot sauces you find in Mexican restaurants and your mouth is on fire, so you take a big drink of water only to find the heat got worse? Another popular misunderstanding is that water will cool down the heat from chile. The best way to get some relief from the heat is to drink a glass of milk. If that’s not handy, grab a piece of cheese or bread, or eat a plain tortilla or tortilla chip; sugar laced cola is also helpful, as are beans, sopaipillas and rice.

How to Roast Chile Peppers

There are many, many recipes and dishes you can use to incorporate chile. A favorite of mine is to add chopped green chilies to almost anything for added flavor, color and texture. In order to do this you need some roasted green chilies, but you can roast just about any type of chile peppers using this method.

You can roast a small amount of chile peppers over a gas stove using a long, heat resistant handled fork. Simply poke the pepper with the fork and hold over the open flame, turning frequently until the skin blisters. Don’t hold the pepper to close to the flame or it will burn. Allow to cool, then remove the skin, veins and seeds and chop.

My favorite method is to roast peppers in the oven. Heat oven to 450F; place peppers on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Roast 4 to 5 minutes until the skin blisters. Place peppers in a plastic bag and allow to sweat about 10 minutes. Remove from plastic bag, rinse and remove skin, veins and seeds, then chop. You can also freeze the roasted chilies for later use.