A picture paints a thousand words! this is capsicum annuum commonly known as the 'peter pepper' or more popularly dubbed the 'penis pepper' or 'penis chilli' for somewhat obvious reasons.



Despite the word "pepper" it is actually a species of chilli, the plant is a native of the southern states of the USA.

Traditionally grown as an ornamental chilli for fun due to its phallic resemblance this variety is considered rare, however you can still find stocks available from online stores such as The Chilli Seed Store and  The Chilli Seed Bank

This chilli grows in 3 varieties: red, orange and yellow and makes a great gift, especially for its value as a conversation piece!  It is considered medium-hot on the scoville scale.

This species produces good yields of fruit if grown correctly ( for tips on growing chillies check our article on the subject here ). Peter Pepper pods will turn red when mature at around 90 days. The plants prefer some shade and shelter from the wind.

You can buy Peter Pepper seeds online :

This hot chilli sauce variation sauce has a distinct bite and a wonderfully tangy aftertaste it will be a welcome addition to any barbeque.  If wild heat is not for you then substitute the habanero chilli for a milder variety.





Ingredients

• 8 habanero chilli's (de-seeded)
• 1 red capsicum (de-seeded and sliced) 
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 10 large ripe tomatoes
• 6 cloves garlic ( unpeeled )
• olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• rock salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Method

1. Place tomatoes, garlic and capsicum in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and throw in a sprinkling of rock salt. Oven roast in a pre-heated 180°C oven for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and slightly charred.  Puree in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, saute onions in oil till soft then add the pureed tomato mix, sugar, vinegar and lime juice. Simmer until thick, stirring occasionally.  
3. Puree again until smooth then allow to cool before straining through a sieve to remove excess pulp.

Byron Bay Fiery Coconut Chilli Sauce with Curry & Ginger - 6 Pack

Here's one worthy of a mouthburners mention, from the Byron Bay Chilli Company in Australia we were impressed by this sweet BBQ style condiment with a great coconut flavour.  The Byron Bay Fiery Coconut Chilli Sauce.



Click here to buy from our Amazon store: Byron Bay Fiery Coconut Chilli Sauce with Curry & Ginger - 6 Pack

This is a obviously a common question but the answer is subject to a lot of variation, the actual 'hotness' of a chilli will depend on many factors such as the variety of chilli, how it is grown and how long it is left on the plant before it is harvested.



In general though the 'heat' of a chilli or chilli product can be rated by measuring the concentration of the compound capsaicin that causes this sensation.

The most widley accepted standard of measurement today is the Scoville scale, although somewhat imprecise as it relies very much on the sensory subjectiveness of human testers.

General list of Chillies and their Scoville ratings

Scoville rating	Type of pepper
15,000,000–16,000,000	Pure capsaicin
8,600,000–9,100,000	Various capsaicinoids (e.g., homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin)
5,000,000–5,300,000	Law Enforcement Grade pepper spray, FN 303 irritant ammunition
855,000–1,075,000	Bhut Jolokia (Naga Jolokia)
876,000–970,000	Dorset Naga
350,000–580,000	Red Savina habanero
100,000–350,000	Guntur Chilli, Habanero chili, Scotch Bonnet Pepper, Datil pepper, Rocoto, African Birdseye, Madame Jeanette, Jamaican Hot Pepper
50,000–100,000	Bird's eye chili/Thai Pepper/Indian Pepper, Malagueta Pepper, Chiltepin Pepper, Pequin Pepper
30,000–50,000	Cayenne Pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper, Cumari pepper
10,000–23,000	Serrano Pepper, Chichen Itza
2,500–8,000	Jalapeño Pepper, Guajillo pepper, New Mexican varieties of Anaheim pepper, Paprika
500–2,500	Anaheim pepper, Poblano Pepper, Rocotillo Pepper, Peppadew
100–500	Pimento, Peperoncini
0	No significant heat, Bell pepper, Aji dulce

Chillies come in so many different varieties, each with their own little specialised growing tips, but they all seem to follow a very basic set of growing rules that can be used to successfully cultivate healthy plants with a great yield of fruit!



Chilli plants will usually grow as small to medium sized bushes, their dimensions depend on the particular variety.  There are many different species of chillies, the fruits of which vary greatly in size and shape as well as their most prized trait, hotness.

Growing Chillies
Chillies require a warm growing environment, it is generally accepted that plant growth becomes inhibited if the ambient temperatures fall below 15°C.  Ideally warm to hot regions of 28°C and over are the best to grow chillies outdoors, but if you live in a cold region you can still grow indoors or in a greenhouse with excellent results.  If soil conditions are right chillies will grow just as happily in a pot as outdoors in the garden.

Sowing
When growing chillies from seed many people start their seedlings off in trays or small pots before transplanting them into their final position, this works quite well but is not the most ideal for the plant as they apparently don't like to be disturbed too much.  When transplanting wait until the small plants have at least 4 or 5 leaves then try to transplant the majority of soil around the roots with them so as to avoid disturbing them.  The root systems like plenty of room so try to use a medium to large pot for a single plant if potting, or space them out well if planting in the garden.  Chilli plants like full sun and grow best with a lot of sun from morning to early afternoon.

Preferred Soils
Chillies are hardy plants and will grow in a wide variety of soils but you can achieve a much healthier and more productive plant in a well drained fertile medium, especially one that is rich in Phosphorous.  If your soil nutrients are low you should add  fertiliser that has a reasonably high Phosphorous ratio compared to other elements.  In colder climates you may also want to boost the potassium levels a little to assist in water retention by the plants.  Too much Nitrogen in your fertiliser mix can reduce your fruit yields considerably.  To achieve good draining I will usually mix 1/3 ratio of course river sand to a 2/3 potting mix and soil combination.

Plant Care
Chilli plants in well drained soil should be watered about 2-3 times a week and to the point where the soil is damp but not soaked.  Overwatering or leaving in waterlogged soil can rot the roots of your plants.  Use a little mulch laid out to cover the soil in your pot, leaving about a 2cm radius clear around the stem of the plant to avoid rot.  Mulch will improve the soil slightly as the plant grows and will also stop it drying out too quickly.  When the plants are about 20cm in height you can cut off the topmost tip which will stimulate the plant into bushing outwards more.  It is benefecial to support your plant with a slender garden stake incase of a heavy fruit crop, especially in windy conditions as their roots tend to be very shallow.

Harvesting
Depending on variety and conditions most chillies are reasonably quick to flower then fruit.  After you see flowers developing on the plant it will only be a few more weeks till the flowers begin to brown, drop off and the fruits begin to form.  As the plants begin to fruit it is good practice to water in small amounts of organic fertiliser to keep them producing longer.  Try to leave the chillies on the plant for as long as possible to increase the 'hotness' of the fruit, but don't leave them till they shrivel up and dry, your plants actually respond well to regular picking by producing more pods. If you leave the fruit till it dries and shrivels the plants purpose of setting seed is accomplished and the plant will not last much longer or will produce lower yields the next season.

Interesting Notes
Chillies can cross-pollinate if you grow a few different types of chillies in your garden you may end up with a new different and interesting strain to try!

   

Growing chili at Growing Chillies - How To Grow Chili Peppers From SeedGrowing Chilli Plants from seed - The Great Chilli FarmGrowing chili at Chilli FreakGardening Australia - Fact Sheet: ChilliesHow to Grow Chile Peppers | eHow.comHow to grow Chillies - all you need to know about growing Chilliesgrowing chilli peppers thechileman.orgGardening For Beginners: How to grow chili

This spicy hot variation of salsa goes perfectly with all sorts of hot and cold dishes, some favourites include grilled meats such as rib eye steak or pork cutlets, chicken and fish.




Ingredients

• 6 habanero peppers finely chopped
• 6 large tomatoes roughly chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 finely chopped white onion
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 red capsicum roughly chopped
• 1 green capsicum roughly chopped
• 1 yellow capsicum roughly chopped
• 1/2  finely chopped purple onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
• juice of 1 lime
• rock salt
• aged balsamic vinegar
• white wine vinegar
• Olive oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 c 
2. Place tomatoes, garlic, habanero peppers and capsicums in a large roasting pan, drizzle on a liberal amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of rock salt and bake for about 40 minutes or until vegetables start to soften.  
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine white and purple onion, lime juice, sugar, coriander and 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, mix in the cooled contents of the roasting pan thoroughly and seal in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight before using .

   

This asian style sweet chilli chicken dish is a classic favourite and appeals to a wide range of palates. Simple and quick to prepare and make it can be adapted easily to suit heat preference just by varying the number of chillis added to the final sauce.




Ingredients

• 800g boneless chicken pieces, cubed
• 1 teaspoon powdered black pepper
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon kecap manis
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 large egg
• 6 mild green chillies chopped
• 2 hot red chillies chopped
• 6 cloves Garlic chopped
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in the soy sauce with salt egg and half of the corn flour for ten minutes.
2. Heat oil in wok or deep fryer and fry chicken till light brown, remove and set aside.
3. Heat a tablespoon oil in wok, quickly toss chopped garlic and chopped green and red chillies for about 10 seconds.
4. Add 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil. Add brown sugar, pepper, salt, oyster sauce and kecap manis and stir for a minute or two.
5. Add fried chicken pieces and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. Dissolve remainder of cornflour in a little water and add whilst stirring constantly and allow to thicken slightly.
7. Goes well with Jasmine rice, garnish with chopped spring onions and finely chopped green chillies.

   

This spicy lamb curry uses our freshly made hot masala mix recipe.  Best served with Basmati rice and garnished with fresh parsley or coriander this is a simple yet tasty meal.




Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 4 medium onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 3 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chilies
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 600 g boneless lamb, cubed
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Masala Mix (Masala Mix Recipe Here)

Method


For this dish, use our hot masala mix found here.

Heat the oil in the wok and fry the onion until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and chopped chillis, for a couple of minutes till fragrant then add coriander, salt and turmeric. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

Brown the lamb in the wok. Add your preferred quantity of Masala, stir for 15 minutes, then mix in the diced tomatoes. Stir in the water and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.  Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander and serve on a bed of Basmati rice.


   

This very hot Masala mix packs quite a punch and you can definitely taste the difference when made fresh and used within the fortnight.  Can be stored in airtight containers. Best used for lamb or beef dishes, but you can vary the quantities for milder foods.




Ingredients

• 6 Hot Chillies, Bhut Jolokia or Habanero
• 10 Dry red chillies
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin seeds
• 4 cloves
• 1 stick cinammon
• 1 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons Turmeric powder

Method

Roast fresh and dry chillies in a heavy pan or griddle on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove, set aside in bowl and cool.

Place all other ingredients, except turmeric powder in the pan and roast for approximately 3 minutes, shake pan often to avoid burning. The spices will smell very aromatic when ready. Remove from heat and add to the bowl containing the chillis.

Grind gradually using a heavy mortar & pestle, or coffee grinder to the consitency of a coarse powder.  Can be stored ready to add to cooking for up to a fortnight in an airtight container before it starts to lose it fragrance.


   

Mouthburners Hot Chilli Seasoning is a spicy hot all purpose seasoning/rub with a mixture of sweet and aromatic flavours to use on almost any dish.  Great for BBQ cuts, seasoning casseroles, stews, pies, sauces even stir fries and hot chips.




Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon plain flour
• 3 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried chillies of your choice
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinammon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

Using a mortar and pestle, grind up dried chillies with the parsley, basil and oregano. Transfer this to a bowl and mix with rest of ingredients. Keeps well if stored in an airtight container.





   

Welcome to the official mouthburners.com online blog.   Mouthburners is the ultimate chilli resource for anyone interested in hot and spicy food from many different cultures.  We are also here to help you find chilli resources such as online products, books and recipes.  Warning, use our posted recipes at your own risk, we accept no liability for over-enthusiastic chilli after effects!







Mouthburners is always looking for new recipes, please feel free to submit some of your own here or on our website at mouthburners.com.