CHILIES (phrik)

CHILIES (phrik): A general rule is: the smaller the chili, the hotter it is and the larger chili is milder. Chilies are rich in vitamin C and are thought to aid in digestion. The hottest parts of the chili are the seeds. Mature chilies are always a darker color than young ones. It is the oil substance called capsaicin, which is concentrated in the seeds and inside the membranes, that make chilies hot. If you accidentally eat chilies and your mouth burns, do not drink water - rice, beer or milk drinks will help relieve the burn. Scientists believe that chilies are native to Central America and that they were brought to Thailand and the Far East by the Portuguese in the 16th Century. This means that Thai food has been "hot" for only the last 400 years. Many Thais are reluctant to believe this, arguing that chilies may have come from across the Pacific or that they originated in Central Asia and were taken by Mongol people to the New World. They also argue that chilies have been used for centuries as a medicine as well as a condiment, to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. According to food scientist Harold McGee, more people now consume chili peppers in larger quantities than any other spice in the world. This is certainly true in Thailand. Even in America, the growing demand (you might even call it a burning desire) for fiery food has made a wide variety of the members of the Capsicum family available fresh. The most common hot chili in Thailand is a small slender chili called prik kii noo or "bird's eye chili," rated the second hottest chili, coming in just under the habanero. The "bird's eye chili" is also known as the "mouse-dropping chili," which has to be the all-time least-appetizing food name. The equivalent chili we suggest is the serrano. It is possible to reduce the heat of a chili by scraping the seeds. Some cookbooks recommend wearing rubber gloves when working with chilies. Be sure to wash thoroughly your cutting board, knives and hands afterwards. Bell peppers are not traditionally Thai, but we use them in our recipes to please the non-Thai palate. In recent years, a chili imported from Mexico called prik khee noo kaset, which has longer pods than prik kii noo, is commonly used in Thai cooking.