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DESCRIPTION
Capsicum
should be a uniform, glossy colour either bright green or deep red.
It should be firm and have thick walls. Depending on the variety,
it may be mild, sweet, hot or fiery. Capsicums are also called green,
red or yellow peppers. The two varieties are sweet pepper or chili
pepper. Sweet peppers are green, orange, red or black capsicums
with a mild flavour. Chili peppers are significantly smaller than
sweet peppers. They are also green, orange, red, or black but are
extremely hot.
HISTORY
Capsicums
belong to the same family as the tomato and eggplant. The word capsicum
means "box". They were discovered by Christopher Columbus
in America in the 16th century. He called capsicums peppers because
of the fiery flavour. Capsicums are sold fresh, dried or ground.
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PREPARATION TIPS AND USAGE
Because of the hollow shape, sweet peppers are perfect for stuffing.
They can be used in salads, with chicken, eggs, rice, tuna, ham
and rabbit. Before using, the seeds and white fibrous membrane
should be removed. Chili peppers are extremely hot. To decrease
their heat, the seeds can be removed or they should be soaked
in cold salted water. They do not need to be skinned before use.
Chili peppers are used to season black bean, avocados, pickles,
chilli, mustard, curries, and cheese. When handling chili peppers,
avoid contact with the eyes.
STORAGE
Capsicums should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
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