Preserving chilli »How to preserve the hot pods

Variant 1: Freeze the chilli

If you always need small amounts of chilli, you can use the prepared ones Pods in the freezer preserve:

1. Halve the chillies, remove the seeds and wash.
2. Blanch briefly in hot water.
3. Place one at a time on a plate and freeze.
4. Transfer frozen chillies to a freezer bag and close tightly.

Variant 2: dry the chillies

Peppers that dry on long lines are likely to be familiar to many from Mexican films. You can also preserve your own harvest in this way:

1. Wash and dry the chillies briefly.
2. Pull a sturdy thread through the stem of the pod.
3. Hang in an airy place. Make sure that the chilies do not touch each other.

If you have a dehydrator, you can use it to preserve the hot spices. The required drying time at 70 degrees Celsius depends on the thickness of the chillies. It is around ten hours for habaneros and twelve for meaty pods such as jalapeño or Rocoto.

Drying in the oven

1. First wash the chilli peppers, cut them in half and remove the seeds.
2. Lay out a baking sheet covered with a breathable cloth.
3. Set the temperature to 60 degrees and dry the chillies for 8 to 10 hours.
4. Hold the oven door open with a wooden spoon so that the moisture can escape.

The dried pods can be coarsely ground into chilli flakes or finely into chilli powder in the food processor.

Variation 3: Soak the chillies in oil

ingredients

• Chili peppers
• 1 liter of water
• 200 ml of vinegar
• 20 g of salt
• 10 grams of sugar
• high quality oil, for example olive oil from the first pressing

preparation

1. Wash the chillies, cut in half and remove the seeds.
2. Bring 1 liter of water to the boil. Add vinegar, salt and sugar.
3. Let the chillies simmer gently in the mixture for two to five minutes.
4. Strain and dry on a kitchen towel.
5. Put in clean glasses so that they are 90 percent full.
6. Fill up with oil and close.
7. The chilli oil can be kept in the refrigerator for about six months.