Green Capsicum

The unripe pepper, and better for it in plenty of dishes. Firmer than a red one, with a clean grassy flavour and no sweetness to get in the way.

Green capsicum holds its shape in heat, which is why it belongs in a stir-fry, a jalfrezi, a pilaf, or stuffed and baked with rice and mince. Cut it into thick pieces rather than thin: thin strips disappear into the sauce, thick ones stay identifiable.

Firm walls, glossy skin, no soft patches around the stem. A pepper that rattles when shaken has dried out inside.

Fridge, salad drawer, unbagged. Green peppers keep noticeably longer than ripe ones.

Seven to ten days refrigerated.