Hot stuff!

Have a glut of chillies? Don't know what to do with them?

One suggestion - dry them. Either string them up so that you have a lovely garland. Or just leave them on a tray in a single layer. Then what? That's what I did a few years back:

A basket of hot stuff. All kinds of hot chillies. Peruvian Purple, Serrano Tampequeno, Long Red Habanero, Astrakhanski 147, Cayenne, etc....

I really only grew Peruvian Purple as it's such a pretty plant (purple leaves and fruit that turns from red to dark purple). The fruit is thin-walled and full of seeds. I didn't use it much for cooking. However, it's perfect for drying and then grinding up.

Cut off stems. I usually peek inside to check that the inside and seeds are all clean. I cut the longer ones in half. Either avoid touching the seeds or wear gloves.

Grind. Then very, very carefully and slowly lift the lid. And preferably away from your face.

Put in air-tight jar. By now you should have had a whiff of the chilli heat. If you must, very, very carefully taste the powder. You could use the spoon as provided here. But you would be mad to do so. With all the Serrano Tampequenos and Peruvian Purple it is potent stuff.

Don't forget to clean the grinder very, very thoroughly. Your next espresso or cappuccino might give you an unexpected kick. If you do grind chillies very often it might be wise to invest in a grinder specifically for that purpose. I shall now go and grind some coffee beans for our afternoon cappuccino. Wish me luck!