How to use herbs and spices in cooking!

Step 7 Cayenne pepper, chiles, crushed red pepper, chili powder.

I frequently use all of the above in cooking. Cayenne and dried red chiles are the most common for me, though.

Cayenne is very, very hot and bright red/orange. You'll find it in any grocery store. It's not so much about the flavor as the heat that it brings to a dish as far as I'm concerned. If I have something that needs a little pep, I'll add a pinch of cayenne.

I always keep dried red chiles on hand. They add color, flavor and heat to a dish. I don't even soak them before chopping. I just cut the end off, dump out the loose seeds, and slice thinly. They rehydrate in whatever I'm cooking. I normally add these to vegetable dishes, stir frys or dried beans while they cook. They're also super cheap. I got a 1 lb. bag for $4 at the ethnic grocery across from where I work!

Crushed red pepper is an old standby. I use it with pasta, in sauces, with vegetables, while marinating meats, etc.

Chili powder is typically much more smoky than the above. I use it for Cuban, Spanish, Mexican, and Indian cooking. It's great in ground beef for tacos or chili.

Comments

[minerug]

If you want to really make something spicy, try fresh Indonesian bird's eye chillies