Chilli & Co.: How to tame the fire

2023-10-24

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Sometimes you just can't get enough of spices: Learn all about how to elevate your dishes in our new knowledge base!

Those who use hot spices in their kitchen not only often find themselves embarking on a culinary journey around the world, but also provide an uplifting and stimulating experience for their taste buds.

Some people love them and others strictly stay away from them: We are talking about spices that add spiciness to food. But it really only depends on the dose. Even a mild spiciness that everyone can tolerate makes a dish much more exciting.

These application tips are dedicated to the following spices:

Ginger
Chilli
Cayenne pepper

Healthy and happy

In many cultures, hot spices that warm you from the inside are omnipresent. From Mexican salsa to Indian curry to Thai Tom Yum soup, chilli and co. enrich culinary diversity. The spicy cuisine also has a vitalising effect: it has an anti-inflammatory and metabolism-stimulating effect and improves blood circulation. It can also release endorphins in the brain, which leads to a pleasant feeling of happiness. One more reason to enjoy the spiciness!

General tips for use

Pay attention to the dosage! You should always start carefully with the addition of hot spices and gradually increase the amount according to taste. It is easier to add more spice than to reduce it (but this is also possible, as you can read in one of our blog posts).

Use gloves. It’s especially important with fresh chilli that you use gloves when processing, because if you work with your bare hands and then rub your eyes in thought, you’ll have a rather nasty revelation.

Balance the spiciness. Using only hot spices will not result in a harmonious taste. To create balance, you should balance their effect with others. This works with sweet, sour and salty notes.

Fresh or dried? With ginger and chilli, both versions have their advantages: The dried version delivers the concentrated power and the fresh one a more complex flavour profile.

Simply spice it up! Ginger, chilli and cayenne pepper are all great for spicing up your dish. Just let it simmer for a while and then taste again. As already mentioned, it is always better to use less and season more than too much!

Ginger and how to use it in the kitchen

The easiest way to peel ginger is with a spoon. Just rub it firmly and the skin comes off immediately.

The tuber is excellent for preparing aromatic spice pastes, which you combine with other spices and roast at the beginning of the cooking process. The whole kitchen will be fragrant – whether fresh or dried and ground!

Fresh ginger can be grated with a fine grater or cut into thin slices and used as a base for wok dishes, curries or vegetable pans. It is also ideal as an important ingredient in a marinade for grilled food.

KOTÁNYI TIP: Add ginger powder to your smoothie or to a batter for cakes or biscuits. You’ll never want to do it any other way.

Chilli and how you use it in the kitchen

Chillies can be seeded and cut into fine rings or pieces, depending on the level of heat you want. The more seeds, the more heat you can expect.

It’s best to put on gloves for this. If not, be careful not to touch your eyes or nose after cutting!

Fresh chillies are more suitable for quick & easy dishes (salads, pasta, etc.), if you want to stew and cook something for a long time, then use dried chillies or chilli powder.

Chillies are perfect for giving sauces, soups or stews a fiery kick. You can also pickle them in oil to make your own spicy oils.

Dried chillies need to be activated briefly: Roast them in a pan and then infuse with liquid!

KOTÁNYI TIP: Why not add a pinch of ground chilli to your chocolate desserts or your favourite cocktail? It pays off!

Cayenne pepper and how to use it in the kitchen

Cayenne pepper actually has nothing to do with pepper at all: it is simply ground, dried chilli peppers – and thus an effective spice that can be used in many ways. It can be used both as a fiery addition and as the main seasoning. Be sure to pay attention to the dosage, because cayenne pepper can be very intense!

Use cayenne pepper as a secret ingredient in hot dips and sauces to give your dishes a pleasant spiciness, or experiment with it in soups, stews or grilled meat.

The finely ground cayenne pepper is also an ideal addition to your spice mixes to give them an extra spiciness. Add it to other spices such as garlic, paprika or cumin, and you have a great mix for marinating meat or vegetables.

KOTÁNYI TIP: Do you like avocado bread with fried egg for breakfast? Just sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on it, and you’ll be awake – and more than ready for the day!