Peppers & Chillies

Capsicum in red, yellow and green, plus the two chillies. Two very different jobs on one page: the capsicums are for sweetness, colour and bulk, the chillies are for heat.

Worth knowing when you choose. Red and yellow capsicum are the same plant as green, left on the vine longer — sweeter, softer, better raw and in a salad. Green is firmer and more bitter and holds its shape better in a hot pan.

Between the chillies, the long one is the milder and more forgiving of the two and is what you want for a tarka or for frying whole. The spicy chilli is the small hot one; a couple of them will season a whole pot, so buy less of it than you think.