{"id":77785,"date":"2014-08-12T17:11:35","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T07:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=77785"},"modified":"2014-08-18T20:45:40","modified_gmt":"2014-08-18T10:45:40","slug":"some-like-it-hot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/08\/12\/some-like-it-hot\/","title":{"rendered":"Some Like It Hot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>August 7, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Jason Ford<\/strong>
\nFord on Food<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nMaybe you like\u00a0chilli peppers or maybe you don\u2019t?<\/p>\n

After all, the heat from a chilli can vary from a slight tingle to a thermonuclear detonation.<\/p>\n

There are hundreds of varieties of chilli pepper. They vary in size, shape, colour and heat.<\/p>\n

Unripe chilli peppers are green, and ripe are red, orange, yellow or even black.<\/p>\n

Chilli peppers contain a chemical called \u2018capsaicin\u2019. It is found in the membrane holding the seeds together and anchoring them within the chilli pod.<\/p>\n

The capsaicin binds to a receptor in the lining of the mouth. This is the same receptor that registers pain from heat, thus the effect is a burning feeling \u2013 more capsaicin, more pain.<\/p>\n

The distressed mouth receptor also\u00a0causes the brain to release endorphins.\u00a0The effect is similar to what happens to extreme sports athletes.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately it is difficult to tell how hot a chilli is just by looking at it.<\/p>\n

Generally, small chilli peppers (such as Bird\u2019s Eye) with the seeds in are very hot and large chilli peppers with the seeds removed are milder.<\/p>\n

How come some chilli peppers merely tickle your tongue while others blow the roof off your head?<\/p>\n

In 1912, a chemist called Dr. Wilbur Scoville investigated this phenomena and developed a chilli heat measurement.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The test, officially called the \u2018Scoville Scale\u2019, measures the level of capsaicin in different varieties of peppers.<\/p>\n

The greater the number of Scoville Units\u00a0(SU)<\/em> found, the hotter the pepper.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the chilli heat scale:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Variety<\/strong><\/td>\nScoville Unit\u00a0(SU)<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Capsicum<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cherry Pepper<\/td>\n100-500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Mexico<\/td>\n500-1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ancho<\/td>\n1,000-1,500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Poblano<\/td>\n1,500-2,500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jalapeno<\/td>\n2,500-5,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chilcostle<\/td>\n5,000-10,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cayenne<\/td>\n10,000-30,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birds-eye<\/td>\n30,000-50,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chiltepin<\/td>\n50,000-80,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Habanero<\/td>\n80,000-300,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pure Capsaicin<\/td>\n16,000,000 (used in tear gas)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

The \u2018Red Savina\u2019 Habanero has been tested at over 577,000 Scoville units. That is 10 times hotter than the common birds-eye.<\/p>\n

Guinness Book Of World Records lists it as the world\u2019s hottest chilli.<\/p>\n

After stupidly consuming this little firecracker, you\u2019re likely to wake up dazed and confused from a two-week coma, aboard a Russian submarine with no recollection of how you got there!<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Easy Spicy Tomato Sauce<\/strong><\/h2>\n