Crushed red pepper

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Crushed red pepper

Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes is a condiment or spice [1] consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers. This condiment is most often produced from cayenne-type peppers, although commercial producers may use a variety of different cultivars, usually within the 30,000–50,000 Scoville unit range. [2] Often there is a high ratio of seeds, which are erroneously believed to contain the most heat. [3] Crushed red pepper is used by food manufacturers in pickling blends, chowders, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, soups and sausage.

Contents

Crushed red pepper in Turkey, served as a common condiment with very few seeds, is known as pul biber. One specially prepared variety of it is the urfa pul biber (isot).

Background

Crushed red pepper, known for its spicy heat, comes from a range of capsicum peppers. [4] Red pepper chilis originally start off green before ripening into an orange-red to deep dark red color and are best grown in the summer months—between 70–84 °F (21–29 °C) and sunny weather. [4] One or multiple red chili peppers—up to four cultivars—can be used to create crushed red pepper. [5] Jalapeños, serranos and Anaheim chilis are some of the most commonly used chilies to make crushed red pepper. [5] Crushed red pepper is frequently found in a variety of dishes including Italian, Indian, Mexican and Caribbean. [4]

Over time, crushed red pepper loses its spiciness level and typically lasts up to 12 to 18 months. [6] Today, China and Turkey are among the top countries to produce crushed red pepper. [5]

History

Red chili peppers, which are a part of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, were first found in Central and South America and have been harvested for use since about 7,500 BC. [4] Spanish explorers were introduced to the pepper while on a search for black pepper. [4] Once brought back to Europe, the red peppers were traded in Asian countries and were enjoyed primarily by Indian cooks. [4] The village of Bukovo, North Macedonia, is often credited with the creation of crushed red pepper. [5] The name of the village—or a derivative of it—is now used as a name for crushed red pepper in general in many Southeast European languages: буковска пипер/буковец, bukovska piper/bukovec (Macedonian), bukovka (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene) and μπούκοβο, boukovo, búkovo (Greek).

Southern Italians popularized crushed red pepper beginning in the 19th century and heavily used them in the U.S. when they migrated over. [5] Crushed red pepper was served with dishes at some of the oldest Italian restaurants in the U.S. [5] Crushed red pepper shakers have become a standard on tables at Mediterranean restaurants—and especially pizzerias—around the world. [7]

Health benefits

The source of bright red color that the peppers hold comes from carotenoids. [8] Crushed red pepper also has antioxidants that are thought to help fight off heart disease and cancer. [8] In addition, crushed red pepper contains fiber, capsaicin—the source of the heat in pepper chilis—and vitamins A, C, and B6. [5] Capsaicin is believed to help kill off prostate cancer cells, to serve as an appetite suppressant which can contribute to weight loss, to improve digestion, [8] and to help prevent diabetes and constipation. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scoville scale</span> Scale for measuring spiciness of peppers

The Scoville scale is a measurement of pungency of chili peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili pepper</span> Varieties of peppers belonging to several species of Capsicum genus

Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli, are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add "heat" to dishes. Capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids are the substances that give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically. Chili peppers exhibit a wide range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the reason behind the availability of different types of paprika and chili powder, each offering its own distinctive taste and heat level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch bonnet</span> Variety of chili pepper

Scotch bonnet is a variety of chili pepper named for its supposed resemblance to a Scottish tam o' shanter bonnet. It is ubiquitous in West Africa and the Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peperoncino</span> Italian name for hot chili pepper

Peperoncino is the generic Italian name for hot chili peppers, specifically some regional cultivars of the species Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens. The sweet pepper is called peperone in Italian. Like most peppers, the fruit is green or yellowish-green when young, and ripens to a red color.

<i>Gochujang</i> Spicy fermented Korean condiment

Gochujang or red chili paste is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process. Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years in jangdok (earthenware) on an elevated stone platform called jangdokdae in the backyard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot sauce</span> Condiment made from chili peppers

Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of mass-produced hot sauce exist.

<i>Capsicum frutescens</i> Species of chili pepper

Capsicum frutescens is a wild chili pepper having genetic proximity to the cultivated pepper Capsicum chinense native to Central and South America. Pepper cultivars of C. frutescens can be annual or short-lived perennial plants. Flowers are white with a greenish white or greenish yellow corolla, and are either insect- or self-pollinated. The plants' berries typically grow erect; ellipsoid-conical to lanceoloid shaped. They are usually very small and pungent, growing 10–20 millimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long and 3–7 millimetres (0.12–0.28 in) in diameter. Fruit typically grows a pale yellow and matures to a bright red, but can also be other colors. C. frutescens has a smaller variety of shapes compared to other Capsicum species. C. frutescens has been bred to produce ornamental strains because of its large quantities of erect peppers growing in colorful ripening patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poblano</span> Mild chili pepper originating in Puebla, Mexico

The poblano is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho, from the Spanish word ancho ("wide"). Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chiles rellenos poblanos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili sauce and paste</span> Condiment prepared with chili peppers

Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guizhou cuisine</span> Chinese cuisine

Guizhou cuisine, or Qian cuisine, consists of cooking traditions and dishes from Guizhou Province in southwestern China. Guizhou cuisine shares many features with Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine, especially in bringing the sensation of spiciness and pungency. What makes Guizhou cuisine unique is the emphasis of a mixed sour-and-spicy taste, as compared to the numbing-and-hot sensation featured in Sichuan cuisine and the dry-hot taste featured in Hunan cuisine. There is an ancient local saying, "Without eating a sour dish for three days, people will stagger with weak legs". The saying reflects how Guizhou people love local dishes with a sour taste. The combination of sour and spicy flavours is also found in Shaanxi cuisine. Guizhou cuisine differs from Shaanxi cuisine in that it lacks the emphasis on the salty taste, which is a common trait found in most northern Chinese cuisines. In addition, the unique sourness featured in Guizhou cuisine comes from the local tradition of fermenting vegetables or grains, and not from using vinegar products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salça</span> Paste made from peppers or tomato and salt, originating in Turkey

Salça ("salchu") is a category of thick, deep red paste made from peppers or tomato and salt, originating in Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siling labuyo</span> Chili pepper cultivar

Siling labuyo is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species Capsicum frutescens and is characterized by triangular fruits that grow pointing upwards. The fruits and leaves are used in traditional Philippine cuisine. The fruit is pungent, ranking at 80,000 to 100,000 heat units in the Scoville Scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleppo pepper</span> Dried chili pepper from Syria and Turkey

The Aleppo pepper is a variety of Capsicum annuum used as a spice, particularly in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also known as the Halaby pepper, its pods are ripened to a burgundy color, then semi-dried, de-seeded, and crushed or coarsely ground. The pepper flakes are known in Turkey as pul biber, and in Armenia as Halebi bibar. In Turkey, pul biber is the third most commonly used spice, after salt and black pepper. In Arabic, the pepper is named after Aleppo, a long-inhabited city along the Silk Road in northern Syria, and is grown in Syria and Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urfa biber</span> Dried chili pepper from Turkey

Urfa biber is a dried Turkish chili pepper of the type Capsicum annuum cultivated in the Urfa region of Turkey. It is often described as having a smoky, raisin-like taste. Urfa biber is technically a red (chili) pepper, ripening to a dark maroon on the plant. The peppers go through a two-part process, where they are sun-dried during the day and wrapped tightly at night. The night process is called 'sweating', and works to infuse the dried flesh with the remaining moisture of the pepper. The result is an appearance ranging from deep purple to a dark, purplish black. Urfa biber is less spicy than many other chili peppers, but provides a more lasting build of heat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili oil</span> Condiment made from chili peppers

Chili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisine, Italy, and elsewhere. It is particularly popular in western Chinese cuisines such as Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Guizhou cuisine, and Shaanxi cuisine where it is used as an ingredient in cooked dishes as well as a condiment. It is sometimes used as a dip for meat and dim sum. It is also employed in the Korean Chinese noodle soup dish jjamppong.

<i>Capsicum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their chili pepper or bell pepper fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayenne pepper</span> Hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes

The cayenne pepper is a type of Capsicum annuum. It is usually a moderately hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes. Cayenne peppers are a group of tapering, 10 to 25 cm long, generally skinny, mostly red-colored peppers, often with a curved tip and somewhat rippled skin, which hang from the bush as opposed to growing upright. Most varieties are generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units.

References

  1. ↑ Bray, Matt (August 17, 2019). "Red Pepper Flakes Vs. Crushed Red Pepper: PepperScale Showdown". PepperScale. Cindermint, LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  2. ↑ Bovino, Arthur (April 10, 2012). "What Are Crushed Red Pepper Flakes?". The Daily Meal. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  3. ↑ Gallary, Christine. "No, the Seeds Are Not the Spicy Part of a Chili Pepper". Kitchn. Apartment Therapy, LLC. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Institute, McCormick Science. "Red Pepper". McCormick Science Institute. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Red Pepper Flakes: The Macedonian Take On Chili Peppers". SPICEography. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  6. ↑ Werner, Tommy. "All About Red Pepper Flakes | Epicurious". www.epicurious.com. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  7. ↑ Best, Cooked (July 2020). "All About Red Pepper Flakes". Cooked Best. Cooked Best.
  8. 1 2 3 Bray, Matt (2019-01-19). "Crushed Red Pepper Nutrition - How Healthy Is It?". PepperScale. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
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