Jalapeno pepper in our country is not particularly popular, not like in Mexico - there it takes pride of place and is placed in almost all dishes. What determines its popularity, and what can be done with it?

Jalapeno pepper: description, chemical composition

Jalapeno hot peppers are the most common type of chili pepper. It is also collected in green when its length is not more than 5 - 9 centimeters. It received its name in honor of the city of Jalapa, which, of course, is located in Mexico.

The plant itself reaches about a meter in height and at least 25 fruits are harvested from it. Pay attention when the jalapeno blushes, it is no longer considered so valuableas if it were collected in green. That is why it is smoked or dried.

The composition of this pepper is quite a lot of useful substances, as in other vegetables. These are vitamins (B, P, C, E), essential oils, carotene and minerals.

Jalapeno Peppers

A large amount of spicy food has a negative effect on the body, but if you use everything in moderation, you can get only benefit.

 

Pepper has a wide range of effects: painkiller, antimicrobial, antiviral. Raw fruits are especially useful, but those subject to heat treatment are inferior to fresh ones quite a bit.

So a sharp pod acts on the body as follows:

  • It has a positive effect on the intestines, improving its function and cleansing of toxins. Regular use kills pathogenic microflora, alleviates the symptoms of dysbiosis, colitis and gastritis.
  • It dilutes the blood, as a result of which it passes better through the vessels. So, pepper acts as a prophylactic for vascular diseases.
  • It only lowers bad cholesterol, which usually leads to diabetes or obesity.
  • It improves metabolic processes, due to which excess weight is lost, and the skin looks healthier.
  • It suppresses the activity of viruses, boosts immunity, and triggers the formation of red blood cells.
  • Promotes the production of sleep hormones. It becomes stronger, calmer and, as a result, bags and puffiness pass in the morning.
  • Folic acid, zinc and lutein, which are part of the vegetable, improve vision. The disease will not go away at all, but seeing a person starts a little better.
  • Another useful property is hair strengthening. They become softer, thicker and stop falling out.

Jalapeno Pepper: Cooking Use

Most often, of course, pepper is used in cooking. Probably, right away, no one will be able to remember at least one jalapeno dish, which means that it's time to familiarize yourself with several recipes.

Read also:stuffed peppers in the oven

Pickled peppers at home

Required Products:

  • four tablespoons of sugar;
  • glass of water;
  • two cloves of garlic;
  • jalapenos - 15 pieces;
  • a glass of wine vinegar;
  • two tablespoons of salt.

Cooking process:

  1. Cut off the top “caps” from pepper, cut the rest of the rings.
  2. Pour the peeled garlic with water, then vinegar and add sugar and salt. We put this mass on the stove, wait for the boil and complete dissolution of the bulk ingredients.
  3. In the resulting mixture, spread the prepared pepper so that it is completely covered with it.
  4. We give it to infuse for 15 minutes, transfer to a jar, fill it with marinade and put it away for storage.

Classic nachos

Essential Products for Chips:

  • glass of water;
  • paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, salt - only five grams each;
  • 0.4 liters of vegetable oil;
  • two glasses of cornmeal.

Essential products for the sauce:

  • a spoon of flour;
  • one jalapeno pepper;
  • 0.2 kg of cheese;
  • 30 grams of butter;
  • 0.4 liters of milk.
  1. Cooking process:
  2. First, prepare the nachos. The specified amount of flour is combined with spices, mixed, poured with warm water and left for about 20 minutes.
  3. Pour the vegetable oil into the mixture and knead the dough. Divide it into pieces of size such as a tennis ball, and turn them into cakes. Each is fried for 30 seconds on both sides in a hot pan.
  4. We divide them into eight parts, which now need to be fried in a deep fryer or pan at 180 degrees. Completely immerse each piece in hot oil, and then put it on napkins or a paper towel to drain excess fat.
  5. We leave the finished chips to cool slightly and proceed to the preparation of the sauce. We cut the cheese into cubes, and completely chop the jalapenos into crumbs.
  6. Mix the flour with a small amount of water, stir to avoid the formation of lumps, and combine with the rest of the milk.
  7. We send jalapenos to a hot pan, fry a little, pour in milk and cook until the mass becomes thicker.
  8. It remains to lay the cheese and, stirring, allow it to completely melt. Serve the chips with the sauce.

Simple salad with cabbage and jalapenos

Required Products:

  • a pinch of salt;
  • two carrots;
  • one jalapeno pepper;
  • 0.3 kg of cabbage;
  • a bunch of fresh chives.

Cooking process:

  1. Peel the cabbage and carrots, rinse, chop very finely. Carrots can be grated.
  2. Put the vegetables in a deep bowl, salt a little and remember well with your hands so that they become softer and let the juice flow.
  3. At the pepper, cut off the top and cut it into small pieces. Chop green onions and add everything to the rest of the ingredients. Stir, let the salad stand in the refrigerator for some time, after which it can be served.

Jalapeno pepper: spiciness on a scale of 1 to 10

The severity of pepper is measured on a special scale called the Scovilla Burning Scale. It was proposed by an American chemist and therefore is named after him.

 

Using the scale, you can determine the level of capsaicin in pepper, because it is due to it that it has such a burning taste.The jalapeno rating on this scale varies from 2500 to 8000 points and is considered only moderately sharp.

There is a more simplified scale from 1 to 10 points.

If you use it, then the jalapeno is between 5 and 6 points and refers to strong and burning varieties.

Pepper itself is a very useful product, but like everything else, it should be consumed in moderation. With regular addition of it to various dishes, you can have a significant impact on the body, improving its general condition.