For some reason I have chilis on my brain today. I guess I have been saturated with the suckers for months now. I am literally sweating them out here in Bali. Chilis are a food experience in themselves. I was pondering how boring meals would be for many people in this world if it were not for the chili plant.
What do you do if you are living off bland staple foods with not much flavor and variety..hmmmm add chilis!!!
In India the poor eat a highly spiced lentil curry, dhal with their rice or chapatis (bread) and fried chilis. In Laos villagers dab fistfuls of sticky rice into a firey salsa called jeow. In Thailand the most favored dish is som tam- a startling concoction of unripe papaya, the trinity of: lime, sugar and fish sauce AND chilis. The Chinese and Koreans adore pungeont and spicy kimchees heavily laden with chilis. The Vietnamese, Khmer, Sri Lankans, Africans, Caribbean, Mexicans........all feature chilis in their cuisines.
I have become a worshipper of all types of chilis. The initial spurt of saliva promoted by the first mouthful of hot gives way to the lip tingling, then the cheek pulsing high leaves me sweating and reaching for more bites. Torture? No, it has become addictive. Some people have asked me if eating copious amounts of hot food has dulled my taste buds? Definitely not! If anything it has made me more aware of the subtle undertones of flavor that is unique to each variety of chili.
Chilis are not just poor man's food. They are quickly becoming part of the global diet. I am learning that a dash of heat can balance most dishes. Cayenne in a creamy sauce..oh yes! Chili and chocolate....oh do go on...! Pasta sauces, noodle dishes, soups, breads- try putting a touch of heat into your life.
*Chili facts*
- Eating chiles is not only a tasty and feel-good experience, but defends your body against nasty microbes as well.
- When you eat chiles, you also get a release of natural endorphins, the brain’s own opiates.
- Chiles also help to open up clogged and congested sinuses.
- Burn calories! –Eating chiles actually helps you to burn calories, and shed pounds. Research conducted at Oxford Polytechnic Institute shows that eating chiles increases thermogenesis, the body’s caloric burn rate. If you eat chiles or chile sauce with a meal, your body will burn calories at an increased rate of about 25%. This translates into maybe 45 calories more burned per 700 calorie meal. So splash the hot sauce onto your food, and burn the fat.
For more chili facts check out the Medicine Hunter webpage- http://www.medicinehunter.com/nfm.htm
I will never forget the time that I fed my younger brother a small, incredibly hot chili in the guise that it was a 'sweet little green pepper'. He had been irritating me all day and I wanted him to stop. He loves green peppers and so......well as soon as he chomped down he began to scream. I immediately regretted my horrible plan. Poor James, he sweated and cried for ages. Guess who got into BIG trouble?
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