Dried Chilies
Posted by Supal on June 06, 2011 in Entrees, Featured, Photos, Recipes, Reviews
Tags: Chili, chili olive oil, curry, dried chilies, pizza, soup, stir-fry
This post is by Eat With Me contributor Supal. See more at Simple Cooking With Supal.
Drying chilies has been a practice for so long in Latin American, Asia, and Africa. With winters and monsoon seasons, people would dry chilies to preserve them. When added to soups and curries, the chili retains its original form and heat. To undermine the heat, split the chili open and remove the seeds and white rib in the middle. Dried red chilies are perfect for long term storage. When I visited India in 2002, I got to help one of my grandparents’ neighbor dry chilies on their rooftop.
Here is a list of what to use them for:
- Stirfry: Add it to the oil before adding the ginger and vegetables.
- Chili: Split the pepper open and add it as the chili is simmering
- Pizza: Grind the peppers and add the crushed pepper to pizza. Grinding will release the chilies’ oils, which will add a nice kick!
- Chili Olive Oil: Lightly crush the peppers with a mortar and pestle. Add to a bottle of olive oil with a tight lid. Let it sit for 1 week before using.
Those are just a few. Leave comments on some of your ideas of what to do with dried chilies!
