Chili peppers are said to be spicy as they mature. In other words, red pepper is more spicy than green chili. This is because capsaicin accumulates in the white cotton area around the seed, called the placenta. That’s why it gets hotter as it matures. It is said that if you make red pepper and dry it, the spiciness will increase further. It is a plant of the genus Capsicum of the Solanaceae family, and I heard that the country of origin is Central and South America. It is said that it was transmitted from Central and South America to Europe, via India and China, and then to Japan in the 16th century. Thousands of varieties are cultivated all over the world, and it is indispensable for various dishes such as Korean food, Chinese food, ethnic food, and curry. In addition to common red peppers and green chili, there are also varieties such as yellow, orange, and purple. In addition, peppers and paprika are also plants of the genus Capsicum of the Solanaceae family, which is the same as chili peppers. Certainly, I feel that the shapes and textures are somewhat similar. In addition, it has a bactericidal and insect repellent effect, and if you put dried red pepper in a rice bowl, insects will not easily attach to the rice. It is said that pests can be prevented by soaking in shochu with garlic, diluting it and spraying it on plants.
It seems that green chili has an appetite-promoting effect and can be expected to prevent it in the summer. The hot days continue this year, so why not give it a try? The recommended way to eat it is green chili miso. It can also be used for rice balls and various dishes, so please come with your children!
As for the knowledge, chili peppers continue to spread throughout Japan from the Warring States period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period and the early Edo period. The use for food is rather modern, and it seems that when chili peppers first arrived in Japan, they were treated as poisons due to their spiciness, or they were put in japanese socks with split toe to prevent frost burning.