Chilli and heat

Why

The heat of chillies comes from capsaicin and related compounds, which stimulate the receptors for pain and heat; most of it sits in the white membranes inside the pod that hold the seeds, while the seeds themselves make none and are only coated with it. Capsaicin barely dissolves in water but dissolves well in fat and alcohol, so chilli fried in oil spreads its heat through the whole dish and water does not soothe a burning mouth – cold milk or yoghurt works better. In a dry, very hot pan or in very hot fat, capsaicin is released into the air and stings the eyes and throat, and dried chilli also scorches easily and turns bitter. Dried chilli has lost its water, so the same weight is usually hotter than fresh, and its flavour is more roasted and less fresh.

How to do it

• Wear gloves when cutting hot chillies and keep your hands away from your eyes; take contact lenses out beforehand.
• For milder heat, cut out the white membranes together with the seeds; scraping out only the seeds lowers the heat very little.
• Fry chillies and chilli flakes in fat only briefly over gentle heat and ventilate the kitchen; once they darken, they turn bitter.
• Add chilli a little at a time and taste, as the fat in a sauce carries the heat through the whole pot.
• Wipe the burn off your skin first with a little oil and a paper towel, then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

If it goes wrong

Tone down an over-hot dish by diluting it: add another batch of the unspiced base, cream, yoghurt or coconut milk, and serve it with rice or bread. Cold milk or yoghurt soothes a burning mouth; water barely helps. If chilli gets into an eye, take out any contact lens, don't rub the eye and rinse it with lukewarm running water for at least 15 minutes; if pain, redness or blurred vision persist afterwards, see a doctor.