Chilli Equivalency

February 18, 2005 12:10 PM

I am cooking for my girlfriend. The recipe asks for "2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and chopped very finely". I don't have any. What I do have, are some very small, dried, red "Pimienta de Cayena" - cayenne chillies, I assume. How many of those should I use for the equivalent bang? (Meal needs to be ready in 90m minutes from now!)
posted by benzo8 to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

Um. To taste?
posted by jon_kill at 12:16 PM on February 18, 2005

Response by poster: I have no cooking skills whatsoever. So I don't even know what bang two green chillis should produce...
posted by benzo8 at 12:20 PM on February 18, 2005

Best answer: Two fresh green chillies would not be very hot at all, in my estimation. A small amount of one of those cayenne peppers should suffice. Or just use a little bit of ground cayenne.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:23 PM on February 18, 2005

Take out the seeds and ribs of the small red chile and use about half. Taste. Add some more if needed.
posted by fixedgear at 12:27 PM on February 18, 2005

Response by poster: Cool... I'll mark the "best answers" after the meal... ;-)
posted by benzo8 at 12:32 PM on February 18, 2005

Green chilies and cayenne peppers aren't at all equivalent. Green chilies are more akin to a bell pepper while a cayenne is a hot pepper like a jalapeño or habañero.

You could use any large, mild pepper for a replacement of a green chili--anaheim, bell pepper, etc.

Depending on the dish you're trying to create, you may be okay omitting the ingredient, but for many, fajitas or chili rellanos for instance, the green chili is not optional.
posted by maniactown at 12:56 PM on February 18, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks guys....
posted by benzo8 at 3:07 PM on February 18, 2005