How to Cut a Chile Pepper
Some like it hot, and some like it scalding, but learning the right way to cut a chile will ensure you maintain your cool.
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You Will Need
- Water
- A fresh chile pepper
- A paring knife
- A cutting board
- And some soap
- A pair of rubber gloves
Steps
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Step 1
Rinse pepper
Quickly rinse the chile pepper under cold running water or use a damp paper towel to wipe any dirt from the chile.
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To avoid painful or harmful irritation, do not touch your eyes, nose, or mucus membranes while handling hot chiles. If the chiles are particularly hot, wear rubber gloves.
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Step 2
Cut off stem
Place the chile in the center of a cutting board and cut off the stem just below the curve.
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Step 3
Cut lengthwise
Slice the chile in half lengthwise from stem to end.
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Step 4
Cut away insides
With the paring knife, cut away the seeds and the thin whitish ribs (also called ‘membranes’).
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If you want as much heat as possible, leave the membranes and seeds intact, but the pepper is usually plenty hot—and more aesthetically pleasing—with membranes and seeds removed.
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Step 5
Cut chile
Your chile is now prepped for cutting however you like: slice it, dice it, chop it, or drop it…into a food processor.
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Step 6
Wash
Wash your hands and utensils thoroughly.
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The Scoville scale ranks the heat of chiles by measuring their chemical compound capsaicin; while sweet bell peppers are a zero, habaneros can measure up to 300,000 units.
