5 ways with
CHILLIS
Whether you like yours with a gentle kick or extra hot, the chilli can make your cooking healthier as well as more interesting – this small but mighty pepper is a source of antioxidants and vitamin C. By Emma Winterschladen.
Chilli hot chocolate
with orange and ginger shortbread MAKES 4 cups, approx. 15 shortbread For the ginger shortbread 100g butter, softened 125g wholemeal flour 75g plain flour 50g caster sugar 1 orange, zest 125g stem ginger, finely chopped 1 tsp ground ginger Chilli flakes and sugar, for dusting l l l l l l l l
For the hot chocolate 150g good-quality dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent) ½ -1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder ½ tsp nutmeg Pinch of sea salt flakes 600ml full-fat milk Honey to taste l
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To make the shortbread, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. In a bowl, rub the butter into the mixed flour and sugar with your fingers. Add the orange zest, stem ginger and ground ginger. Still using your hands, mix until the texture resembles course crumbs. 2 Carefully press the dough down into a small baking tray lined with baking paper. Use a knife to score the dough into finger shapes and prick all over with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar and chilli, and bake in the oven for 6-10 minutes until golden (keep in for longer if you
want them crispier). Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out using the paper and cut the shortbreads through with a knife to separate. 3 To make the hot chocolate, grate the dark chocolate into a bowl, then add in the chilli flakes, cocoa powder, nutmeg and salt. 3 Heat the milk over a lowmedium heat and once it’s warmed through, add in the chocolate mixture. Whisk well, stirring until the chocolate mixture has melted. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken the mixture, whisking continuously. Add honey to taste.
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Slow-bake chilli con carne SERVES 4-6 1kg good-quality beef brisket, cut into large chunks (against the grain) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp cayenne pepper 300-400ml good-quality beef stock 1-2 dried chillies (ancho or habanero) 1 red onion, finely sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 red pepper, thinly sliced 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced 1 tsp mixed herbs 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp honey 400g plum tomatoes 400g kidney beans, drained Salt and pepper l
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To serve 3 wholegrain tortillas 300g rice (e.g. brown basmati, red Camargue or wild rice) 4-6 tbsp sour cream Large bunch of fresh coriander or parsley
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Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/ gas mark 3. Massage the beef brisket chunks with a little olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper. In a large casserole dish, sear the beef chunks until they’ve browned and then remove from the pan. Add a little of your stock and deglaze the pan, then scrape the bottom of the pan and set the liquid to one side. Place the dried chillies into the deglazed stock to let them rehydrate. 2 Add another glug of olive oil to the pan and, on a medium heat, sauté the red onion, garlic and peppers for five minutes until softened and starting to caramelise. Add in the rehydrated chillies with the liquid, mixed herbs, red wine vinegar and honey, followed by the plum tomatoes and beef stock. Fill up the tomato tin with water, swill it around, and add that in too. Mix together well, season with salt and
pepper, then place a lid on the casserole dish and put it in the oven. Check after around two and a half hours and pull the meat apart with two forks. Add in the beans and a little more stock if needed, stir well and place back in the oven with the lid off for a further 30 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, chop or tear your tortillas into small shapes, scatter on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little paprika, then place in the oven for 15 minutes until crispy and golden. You can either crush them up or leave them whole, ready to top your chilli with. 4 Cook rice according to packet instructions. When the chilli is bubbling and the meat is tender, serve it with the rice. Add a dollop of sour cream per person, scatter over the crushed tortillas and sprinkle with coriander or parsley.
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Sichuan chilli oil
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MAKES 1 large bottle or jar 500ml peanut, rapeseed or grapeseed oil 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger 5 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 3 bay leaves 5 salad onions, roughly chopped ½ tsp Sichuan pepper 4 tbsp crushed red chilli flakes* Salt to taste l
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* You can use any chilli flakes, but for a more authentic taste try Sichuan red chilli flakes or the more readily available Korean red pepper flakes.
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In a small saucepan, add the oil, followed by the ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, salad onions and Sichuan pepper, then heat over a medium heat for five minutes or so until the onion starts to sizzle and brown and the oil is bubbling. Turn the heat down to low and keep it bubbling on a simmer for 15 minutes until the spices start to darken in colour, being careful not to burn them. Do not leave the pan unattended. 2 Drain the hot oil through a fine sieve into a pan containing the red pepper flakes, so they sizzle. 3 When the oil has completely cooled, transfer into a sterilised container and refrigerate. It should last for up to six months. Use it in soups, stir-fries, salads and as a marinade for meat and vegetables. 99
Vegetarian pho SERVES 2 1 onion 1 red chilli 5cm piece of ginger, peeled 10cm cinnamon stick (preferably cassia bark) 1 star anise 3 cloves 1 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp tamari or soy sauce 1½ litre low-salt vegetable stock 200g dried flat rice noodles 150g shitake mushrooms, chopped 1 tbsp mild oil 2 carrots, finely matchsticked 100g pak choi, roughly chopped l l l l
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1 Using tongs, char the onion, chilli
and ginger in turns over an open flame for five minutes or so. Rub off the blackened skin and roughly chop the onion and cut the ginger in half. Keep the chilli whole. 2 In a deep pan, dry roast the spices for a few minutes over a medium-low heat, making sure they don’t burn. When you can smell the roasted spices, add in the onion, ginger and chilli, soy sauce and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to simmer for around 25 minutes. 3 Strain the liquid through a sieve and place broth back on a low heat.
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While the broth is simmering, prepare the noodles by placing them in a bowl of boiling hot water for 30 minutes until they’re soft and chewy. 5 Prepare the mushrooms by heating the oil in a pan and sautéing for six minutes or so until golden and tender. 6 To serve, divide the noodles between two bowls, add the mushrooms, carrots and pak choi and pour the hot broth on top (it will soften the carrots and pak choi). Add the garnishes according to taste.
To serve 1 lime, halved Handful of fresh mint Handful of Thai basil Handful of fresh coriander 2 spring onions, finely chopped 1 chilli (Thai bird’s eye, Serrano), finely chopped l l l l l l
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Aromatic chilli fish SERVES 4 400g potatoes 2 tbsp olive oil 1 lemon 3 cloves garlic, skin-on 4 large pieces tilapia or cod 1 tsp honey 2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala ½-1 tsp chilli flakes 1-2 red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced 3 tbsp natural yoghurt 2 cloves garlic, crushed Handful of winter greens, e.g. kale Parsley, to serve Salt and pepper l l l l l l l l l l
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Follow Emma on Instagram @lewellbeing_food
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Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4. Boil the potatoes in salted water until almost tender, drain and add to a baking tray. Roughly crush with the back of a spatula, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Halve the lemon and cut one half into slices. Scatter them over the potatoes with the whole garlic cloves. Place in the oven for 15 minutes while you prepare the fish. 2 Marinade the fish in the honey, turmeric, garam masala, chilli, yoghurt, garlic and the unused half of the lemon’s juice and zest. Set to one side until the potatoes are golden. 3 Take the potatoes out of the oven and sprinkle over a handful of steamed greens, a drizzle of olive oil and add the fish fillets on top. Pour the marinade over and place in the oven for 15 minutes until cooked. 4 Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.