Description of piri-piri pepper. Useful properties of its fruits, possible harm, precautions and contraindications. Vegetable recipes.
Harm and contraindications to the use of piri piri pepper
Given the extreme pungency of this type of pepper, it is recommended to use it with caution. Before eating a condiment, you should consider the possible side effects that it can provoke.
Consequences of abuse of piri piri pepper:
- Unbearable burning sensation … Fans of spicy tastes claim that Tobasko is a real sweetness compared to piri-piri. Therefore, for those who are not accustomed to such pungency, it may seem that their oral cavity (as well as hands and skin in contact with pepper) "burns". The burning sensation can become so great that the use of special medications will be required. You can try to remove the effect by drinking fat milk, eating a banana or something sweet.
- Stomach upset … A reaction to capsaicin can be nausea or heartburn, and excessive burning sensation will aggravate existing stomach problems. In rare cases, eating a lot of peppers can lead to diarrhea.
- Allergic reaction … Sometimes it is enough to have thin and sensitive skin so that the pepper gets on it and causes burning, itching, redness, or a burning sensation. Allergy sufferers can fall prey to asthma attacks or severe pain.
Absolute contraindications to the use of piri-piri:
- Asthma … It is better for people with any diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract to refrain from eating spicy foods. The contraindications for piri piri pepper are based on the fact that extreme irritation of the receptors can aggravate asthma attacks, lead to edema and suffocation, the symptoms of which can be relieved only with the help of medical specialists.
- Peptic ulcer … Pepper is strictly contraindicated for people suffering from any type of ulcer. Spicy food will aggravate the condition of the mucous membrane and lead to severe pain.
- Cardiovascular problems … In this case, piri-piri should be used with extreme caution, depending on the type of disease. There are cases when diet pills containing piri-piri extract led to the development of a heart attack.
- Young age … Young children and adolescents are best off avoiding extremely spicy foods, as their bodies may not be prepared for such a culinary challenge.
Piri piri pepper recipes
First of all, piri piri is not only pepper, but also a sauce based on it. The condiment of the same name works best with meat, but you can use it with anything. The main thing is that your receptors allow you to try it.
Piri piri pepper recipes:
- Piri piri sauce … This dish is both an example of African and Portuguese cuisine. It arose during the colonial days, when the Portuguese conquerors discovered breathtakingly hot pepper in the food of the local population and began to use it in their own kitchen. To prepare a modern piri-piri sauce, we need: 4 pieces of peppers, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 bell pepper, 1 lime, a tablespoon of parsley, 3-4 cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, a tablespoon of ground paprika. Next, cut the hot pepper into rings, Bulgarian - into quarters, squeeze the juice from lemon and lime, chop the pulp, add crushed garlic, paprika, parsley. We place the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat, first bringing to a boil, then reducing the heat. Cool, grind in a blender, add oil and season with salt. We place it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the refrigerator for 5-6 days so that the composition is infused. This sauce is well suited for both ready-made meat and for pickling it raw.
- Chicken breasts with piri piri … After preparing the sauce according to the piri-piri recipe outlined above, you can continue your culinary experiments and bake tender meat fillets in it. We take several chicken breasts, clean them of fat, skin, "films" and make three deep diagonal cuts. Grease the prepared form with vegetable oil and put fillets in it. Fill the cuts with sauce and sprinkle with oil again. Place in the oven and bake at 200 degrees for half an hour. Adding the sauce will not only give the chicken a spicy pungent flavor, but also leave it juicy.
- Meat baked stew … This dish is a variation of the previous one, vegetables and beans will be added to it. This will allow you to cook both meat and a side dish at the same time. Piri-piri sauce here will act as a marinade in which the chicken fillet should be kept for an hour. After that, fry the meat well in a pan, until a crispy crust forms (for this, we remove the marinade well, there should be a minimum amount of it). After we put the chicken in a baking dish, pour boiled or canned beans in the same volume in a volume of 200 g per kilo of chicken meat. We spread cherry tomatoes (200 g), cut in halves, canned or fresh bell pepper (200 g), a few grated chives, a spoonful of oregano. We bake for half an hour at 200 degrees, before serving, you can sprinkle with parsley.
- Shrimp in piri piri … Grilled shrimp marinated in piri piri sauce will be an extraordinary gastronomic experience. Peel the shell and inedible parts of the seafood, place in the sauce, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then remove from the marinade and place on the grill. When searing, grease the pieces of meat with sauce on each side until they are cooked. Serve over lettuce leaves.
Interesting facts about piri piri pepper
As we already know, "piri-piri" is the name of not only pepper, but also the sauce based on it. In the historical homeland of Africa, this seasoning is also called pili-pili or peri-peri, depending on the area and dialect.
What other unusual data accompany this burning fruit:
- Capsaicin in piri-piri pepper is so hot that it was on its basis that a special scale was created that ranks products according to their severity. It is a project of the American chemist W. Scolville, launched in 1912.
- The hot chemical from piri piri (and other related peppers) is used not only in the medical industry, but also as fillers for gas cartridges and pistols.
- The closest relative of piri-piri, namely chili pepper, was discovered (actually brought by Columbus from South America) about 400 years earlier. Due to its uniqueness and unusual taste, it was valued as highly as pure silver.
- Despite the general dissimilarity, piri-piri belongs to the Solanaceae family, the most famous representatives of which are tobacco, potatoes, eggplant and wolfberry.
- Any fresh and ripe "red" pepper is at least 150 times hotter than black. This is explained by the fact that in the latter, capsaicin is replaced by piperine, which is much less aggressive towards receptors.
- If your skin does not respond with an allergic reaction to the touch of this type of pepper, you can try to prepare a cream based on it. In some countries, it is believed that piri-piri is the fastest way to relieve acne and rejuvenate the integument.
- In Chile, piri piri and other peppers are added to almost any dish. There is even a peppery cheese sauce that is generously poured over pizza and other fast food items.
- Scientists have found that piri-piri began to be consumed at least 7500 BC. This is evidenced by the finds in the places of primitive sites.
- All the hottest peppers on the planet are part of the Chiscense Capiscum family.
- The extract of hot peppers is sprayed on elephants to protect their skin from parasites.
- There is a legend that the Japanese samurai ate the hottest peppers that were at hand before an important battle. This was to reduce the feeling of fear and was part of the preparatory ritual. Until now, a similar tradition exists in some karate schools.
- Of course, piri piri is not the hottest pepper in the world, but it can be eaten with little or no fear. But this cannot be said about his genetically modified "brother" called the Naga Viper. Anyone who dares to try it must first sign a special paper that removes all responsibility for the consequences from the cook and the establishment. At the same time, until now, few of those who wish have mastered a whole plate of a "special" dish.
- The total number of peppers consumed in the world is second only to one seasoning, namely salt.
Watch a video about piri piri pepper:
Based on all of the above, piri piri is a pepper that defies taste buds. At the same time, it is a valuable repository of huge doses of vitamins A and C, which strengthen the immune and cardiovascular systems. Organic substances in piri-piri pepper have a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair, making the body healthy at the cellular level. Adults with good health can eat it without fear, since the product will only benefit them. But for ulcers, asthmatics, minors and weakened people, it is better to try less spicy seasonings first.
