A Beginner’s Guide To Chillies

How we rate them, how to use them, and what are the benefits of hot chillies + a guide to the HOTTEST chillies in the world!

Chilli heads love the heat – and it’s what keeps them in the kitchen making wonderful and exotic recipes featuring some of the world’s tongue-tingling peppers. If you’re new to this world of spice and flavour, you may have more than a few questions. In this quick guide, you’ll learn how we rate the heat, how to use chillies, whether you can buy them locally (hint: you can!) and if you can even grow them yourself.

The Scoville Heat Unit: The Richter Scale for Chillies

Any fruit that contains capsaicinoids – the “heat” or pungency element in capsicum-based fruits – is measured in what’s known as Scoville Heat Units (SHU), named after its inventor, Wilbur Scoville. A typical capsicum (or bell pepper) has a SHU of about 1 to 100. A Jalapeño ranges between 2,500-8,000 SHU. If you think that’s a bit too spicy, the Cayenne Pepper ranges between 25,000-50,000; Habanero and Scotch Bonnet ranges between 100,000 and 350,000. The Ghost Pepper can reach up to 1,500,000 while the Carolina Reaper can top the scale at 3,000,000!

How To Use Chillies

Chillies can be used in so many different ways. You can dry your chillies to make chilli powder, which you can add to various dishes to give it a punch. You can make chilli jams, hot sauces, chilli oil, salsa, chutney, and other condiments. You can also add chillies directly to stews, Tex-Mex chilli con carne, curry, or make a the Indonesian chilli paste known as sambal. There are so many variations and combinations you can find chilli in – it’s just a matter of finding the level of heat you want!

What are the benefits of eating chillies?

There are many health benefits to eating chillies regularly. They can improve digestive health and metabolism, help alleviate migraines, may reduce the risk of some cancers, and can help fight off infections and colds – I’m sure you’ve had a runny nose when you’ve eaten something north of 100,000 SHU! Much like other spices such as Turmeric, chillies can help with pain relief by fighting inflammation. It can also make you smarter: it may also improve cognitive functions.

Can I get hot chillies in Australia?

Yes – and you can get them right here at Chilli Kings! We grow and provide seeds for some of the world’s hottest chillies such as the sweet and fruity Carolina Reaper (1.5 million SHU), Trinidad Moruga Scorpion varieties (1.2-2 million SHU) the intense Nega Bhut Jolokia “Ghost” Chilli (850K SHU) and the milder Scotch Bonnet (100-400K SHU) which is ideal for chutneys and salsa. We also stock a rainbow of smokey, fragrant, and fresh Habanero varieties (200-500K SHU). Best of all, we deliver them straight to your door.

Explore the world of chillies right here at Chilli Kings. Shop Fresh Chillies