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Salt and Pepper Squid: Coat tender squid rings in a seasoned flour mixture and deep-fry until crispy and golden.

Introduction: Discover the Perfect Recipe for Salt and Pepper Squid

Succulent and tender, salt and pepper squid is a popular Chinese seafood dish that has made its way to restaurants all around the world. The dish is characterized by crispy, golden-brown squid rings seasoned with salt and pepper. This delectable treat is perfect as an appetizer or as a main dish with steamed rice.

Making salt and pepper squid is not as difficult as it may seem. With the right ingredients and a little bit of patience, you too can recreate this restaurant-style dish at home. In this article, we will take you through the steps to cook up a batch of crispy and flavorful salt and pepper squid.

Ingredients and Preparation: Coat Squid Rings in a Seasoned Flour Mixture for Best Results

The first step in making salt and pepper squid is to gather all the necessary ingredients. You will need 500 grams of cleaned squid rings, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of five-spice powder. You will also need vegetable oil for deep-frying.

To prepare the squid rings, first, rinse them under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, black pepper, and five-spice powder. Coat the squid rings in the flour mixture, making sure each ring is evenly coated.

Cooking Instructions: Achieve Crispy and Golden Squid Rings with Deep-Frying Method

To cook the squid rings, heat up a pot of vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F). Carefully drop the squid rings into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry the squid rings for 2-3 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the squid rings from the pot and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Season the squid rings with a little bit of extra salt and black pepper, and serve them hot with a side of sweet chili sauce.

In conclusion, salt and pepper squid is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe that is perfect for seafood lovers. By following these simple steps, you can achieve crispy and golden-brown squid rings every time. So, fire up that stove and get ready to impress your family and friends with your very own salt and pepper squid!

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Black Pepper: Whole Grains Test Winner

Pepper is one of the most popular spices in the world. It gives every dish that certain something of spice and spiciness. But which type of pepper performs best in comparison? Stiftung Warentest took a closer look at 20 products – here are the results.

Pepper in the test

In its latest issue, Stiftung Warentest examined a total of 20 different types of black pepper in the sensory and harmful substances categories. These include 14 products (including five organic products) with whole peppercorns and six ground ones.

The result

In general, black pepper in whole grains performs better than ground products as they have a better flavor. Seven of the 20 types of pepper received the test result “Good”, five other types were only rated “Poor”. The reason for this is a very high level of pollution, as the Stiftung Warentest reports. You can find out which types of pepper have been tested here.

Pepper contaminated with mineral oil

Saturated mineral oils were detected in all black pepper varieties tested. Aromatic mineral oils were again found in four products – three of them in traces.

These oils can accumulate in the body and are suspected of promoting the development of cancer. However, since black pepper is only consumed in small quantities, this find is not harmful to health, according to Stiftung Warentest.

That’s why pepper is healthy

The stimulant in pepper, piperine, stimulates blood circulation, appetite, and salivation. It also has an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and diaphoretic effect.

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Black Pepper – Effect and Application of The Medicinal Spice

Apart from salt, no other spice is used as frequently in German cuisine as black pepper. What many people don’t know, however, is that black pepper has long been considered a remedy and has numerous health benefits.

How is black pepper different from other types of pepper?

Whether white, green, red or black pepper – all come from the same plant species, the pepper bush (Piper nigrum). Depending on the time of harvest and further processing, the peppercorns then get their specific color.

For the black pepper, the unripe, green peppercorns are harvested and stored in heaps for a few days. The grains are then dried in the sun.

The types of pepper differ not only in appearance, but also in the degree of sharpness, the taste and the composition of their components. White and black pepper are the hottest and have the highest levels of piperine — see why this ingredient is so important below.

use in the kitchen

From sweet to savory – pepper goes well with almost every dish. So it is not surprising that it is the second most used spice in German cuisine after salt. At least one type of pepper is therefore included in numerous spice mixtures.

The black pepper has a particularly hot aroma and a light citrus note. White pepper, on the other hand, is less aromatic and fruity, while green pepper is mild and has a light herbal note. The fully ripe red pepper is rarely eaten in this country due to its perishability.

Tip: Pepper that has already been ground has already lost large parts of its ingredients and aroma. Therefore, always use whole grains that you grind freshly just before use.

Black pepper – the most important active ingredients

Pepper contains over 200 different components. From a medical point of view, the most interesting is the alkaloid piperine. Numerous health-promoting effects are attributed to this ingredient. The traditional areas of application range from colds and flu to digestive problems and diabetes to rheumatic diseases and muscle pain.

Recent human studies have demonstrated its digestive, antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic and antiasthmatic effects, among other things. Also, it is scientifically proven that piperine promotes the absorption of nutrients as well

antifungal
antioxidant
expectorant
anti-inflammatory
antimicrobial
works (see review from 2017). The Federal Center for Nutrition emphasizes above all the digestive effect – since piperine stimulates the saliva and gastric juice secretion. The list of potential applications is impressively long.

Other important ingredients are various essential oils, flavonoids and various piperine derivatives.
An English-language Open Access Scientific Report from India provides a comprehensive overview of the numerous active ingredients and areas of application of black pepper.

Piperine as a bioenhancer

Piperine also deserves special attention because it increases the bioavailability of various other components. Such substances are called bioenhancers. Piperine was the first bioenhancer identified in 1979 – and is still considered the most effective substance of this kind.

The most prominent partner substance whose bioavailability is increased by piperine: curcumin, the most important active ingredient in turmeric. When combined with piperine, the effectiveness of curcumin is increased by up to 20 times. That is why it is often recommended to add some black pepper to turmeric for medicinal purposes – as is done with the healing golden milk. Black pepper is also said to increase the bioavailability of selenium, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Use black pepper effectively and safely

If you want to benefit from the health effects of black pepper, you can of course add the spice to your food as usual. You should not cook the pepper at the same time, but only add it to the finished dish at the end.

However, if you want to use the black pepper specifically for colds and illnesses, you can use a higher dose. The already mentioned golden milk with a high pepper content is ideal for this. You can also add freshly ground pepper to your tea – for example in combination with fresh turmeric. Pepper is also popular with colds when combined with hot milk and honey.

possible side effects

In general, black pepper is considered very safe. However, you should never consume the ground spice individually, as the particles could get into the lungs and irritate them severely. If you suffer from acute stomach or intestinal problems, you should discuss the application with your doctor beforehand. You should also avoid large amounts of black pepper during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

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Pink Pepper: Uses, Origins and Specifics

Pink pepper isn’t actually pepper at all, but it’s still very popular because of its fruity-peppery taste and beautiful colour.

Pink pepper, also called “pink berry” or “Schinus berry”, is actually not a pepper: the Schinus tree on which it grows belongs to the sumac family. In fact, there is also real red pepper. However, this is very rare and difficult to obtain because, unlike other types of pepper, it is perishable.

There are two types of trees on which pink pepper grows: the Brazilian and the Peruvian Schinus tree. The names already indicate that the pink pepper originally comes from Central and South America. Today, however, the main producer is Reunion Island.

Pink pepper: how to use it in the kitchen

Unlike real pepper, pink pepper has a piquant taste but is not hot. You should still dose it sparingly, as it contains toxic substances that are difficult to digest. Therefore, children should better avoid it. Pink pepper tastes fruity and a bit like juniper. Thus, the spice can give many dishes a special aroma.

Basically, it’s too good for the pepper mixtures in which it often occurs. Pink pepper comes into its own much better if you crush it fresh and pour it over the finished meal before serving.

Pink pepper goes well with these dishes, among others:
Fish
asparagus
steamed kohlrabi
goat cheese
light sauces such as hollandaise sauce
It gets particularly exciting when you refine desserts with pink pepper: it goes very well with chocolate, for example, but also with many crèmes, strawberries, peaches and apricots.

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Red Pepper: Uses, Production and Peculiarities

Red pepper differs from other types of pepper not only in color. Here you will find all the important information about the spice.

Along with salt, pepper is one of the most important spices in every kitchen. It gives the food a spicy note and rounds off the taste. But pepper is not just pepper: A distinction is made between green, black, white and red varieties. The red pepper plays a special role in the kitchen – because the variety is very rare.

storage and use

Basically, you can use red pepper like any other type of pepper. But note:
You should not grind the red peppercorns in the conventional pepper mill. The grains are very soft – it is better to sprinkle them over the dish. Alternatively, you can gently crush the red pepper in a mortar and pestle before seasoning the food with it.
It is best to sprinkle your dishes at the end of the cooking time to preserve the full flavor of the peppercorns.
Due to its particularly intensive pepper aroma and its spiciness, the red pepper is particularly suitable for seasoning:
spicy sauces
vegetables
salads
Pan-fried meat (such as fillets and steaks; for the sake of the environment, however, the following applies to meat: less is more, and if so, then in organic quality)
Fish (but beware: most types of fish are overfished and therefore not recommended)
Because of its sweet note, red pepper is also suitable for refining desserts or chocolate – especially in combination with fruit.

In addition to its taste benefits, the red pepper can also score points visually. Due to their deep red colour, the peppercorns are very attractive and are ideal as a table decoration or topping for special dishes.

Tip: Red pepper can be stored for up to two years. However, you should store it in a dark and cool place and pack it as airtight as possible.

Red pepper: That’s what makes it so special

Taste: The red pepper is characterized above all by its special taste: During the long ripening period, a lot of sugar can be stored in the pepper fruit. As a result, the peppercorns not only taste hot, but also slightly sweet.

Ingredients: Red pepper also contains numerous vitamins: it is particularly rich in vitamins A, C and B6. It also contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron. This makes red pepper a particularly healthy spice.

Traditionally, pepper was also used as a medicinal plant in India, as it is said to have the following effects. It is said to…:

Relieve upset stomach and sore throat
help against rashes and inflamed wounds
relieve itching
and help with weight loss.
Rarity: The sun gives the peppercorns their deep red colour. For this, however, the red pepper has to mature for a long time. In addition, field workers have to harvest it by hand.

These factors make red pepper unattractive to farmers. They tend to opt for green or black pepper, which can be harvested quickly. That is why the red pepper is very rare – and more expensive than the conventional varieties. You can find it in delicatessen shops, among other places.

Production of red pepper

Red pepper does not grow on a special pepper plant. All the different varieties come from the same plant: the so-called pepper bush is a climbing plant that originally comes from India. From there, pepper cultivation spread across Southeast Asia to Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, the main growing areas for pepper are in Vietnam, India, Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The pepper bush grows mainly on tree trunks and can reach a height of ten meters. The shrub forms panicles with stone fruits twice a year. These are harvested and processed into spices in further steps. The different colors of the peppercorns indicate the different degrees of ripeness of the fruit:

Green pepper is made from unripe peppercorns that farmers harvest particularly early. Most of the time, farmers soak the grains in brine or freeze-dry them. As a result, the peppercorns retain their original color. Green pepper is characterized by its particularly spicy taste with a sour note.
Shortly before maturity, the farmers harvest again. They use these fruits to make black pepper: they dry the grains and skin until they become wrinkled and black. This makes the black pepper much hotter.
White pepper is made from fully ripe fruits. Farmers soak the fruit until the skin peels off. They then bleach the grains in the sun, resulting in the light coloration. White pepper differs in a slightly milder taste.

Red pepper is the latecomer among the varieties. The farmers only harvest the fruits after they are fully ripe. You have to carefully pick the fruit by hand at just the right time. Often the farmers can only win a few red grains. They then dry the grains or soak them in brine.

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Cubeb Pepper: Effect, Application and Dosage

We show you how cubeb pepper works and how you can use it in the kitchen.

While cubeb pepper is less well known to us, the pepper variety is very popular in many oriental countries. The cubeb pepper belongs to the pepper family and is related to the commercially available black pepper. However, the two types of pepper differ in smell and taste: Cubeb pepper has a very intense smell that is slightly reminiscent of turpentine. The taste is less sharp, but slightly bitter.

Cubeb pepper is the name given to the fruits of a climbing shrub that is up to six meters long and originally comes from India and China. Today the pepper is also grown in Indonesia, especially in Java and Sumatra, as well as in Sri Lanka.

The peppercorns are four to five millimeters in size. Similar to black pepper, the fruits are harvested green, i.e. still unripe. Then they are dried in the sun. This gives the grains their typical black-brown color and wrinkled surface.

Cubeb pepper as a medicinal plant

The Theophrastus naturopathic association has named cubeb pepper medicinal plant of the year 2016. Since 2003, the association has awarded medicinal plants in order to preserve naturopathic knowledge. On this occasion, the association published a brochure about the cubeb pepper and its healing effects. Another scientific summary of the American Journal of Pharmacy and Health Research also confirms the following effects:
anti-inflammatory
antiviral
expectorant
concentration-enhancing
digestive
Hildegard von Bingen already spoke of the fact that the cubeb pepper has a positive effect on the mind and spirit.

Traditionally, the cubeb pepper is mainly used for the following complaints:
respiratory diseases
asthma
bronchitis
dizziness
headache
cystitis
To use one or two whole grains of pepper are chewed several times a day. The pure taste takes some getting used to, but it is harmless. Unpleasant side effects are not known.

The healing effects of the pepper variety are attributed to its unique combination of active ingredients. These include, among others:
Essential oils: At ten to 20 percent, the content of essential oils in cubeb pepper is quite high. The oils provide the diuretic and expectorant effect.
Antioxidants: The antioxidants it contains are said to reduce oxidative stress and cell aging.
Resins (cubebic acid): Due to the resins, cubeb pepper is also well suited for smoking. They also give the pepper its special smell.
Cubebin: The plant’s own active ingredient Cubebin not only provides the taste, but also the concentration and digestion-promoting effect.
Piperine: The active ingredient is also found in black pepper and has an antibacterial and antifungal effect. The substance is also responsible for the sharpness of the pepper.

Cubeb pepper: How to use it in the kitchen

Cubeb pepper tastes bitter and slightly hot. It has a fresh note reminiscent of eucalyptus. Typical of the pepper variety is the slight tingle that it leaves on the tongue.

The spice is very popular in Indonesian, North American and North African cuisine. Cubeb pepper is an integral part of the Ras el Hanout spice mix.

You can use cubeb pepper for many recipes – here are some examples:
The unique taste goes particularly well with oriental dishes such as lentil salad or lentil soup.
If you want to add an Asian twist to a rice dish, you can cook the rice with a few peppercorns.
The cubeb pepper can also refine vegetable dishes. Cubeb pepper is particularly good for pumpkin recipes or aubergine recipes.
Cubeb pepper is also suitable for some desserts. You can find this type of pepper in some gingerbread spice mixes, for example. You can also season a hot chocolate with a little cubeb pepper.
How to use cubeb pepper correctly:
Like most spices, cubeb pepper should be used fresh. It’s best to grind it up just before using it with a spice grinder or mortar.
Cubeb pepper tastes intense and takes some getting used to. It’s best to approach it carefully. One or two grains of the exotic pepper are usually enough for a recipe for four people.

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Szechuan Pepper: Origin, Use and Characteristics

Szechuan pepper is known for its tingling aroma. But it is not only used in the kitchen: in traditional Chinese medicine, the special pepper is considered a medicinal plant.

Szechuan Pepper: Origin of the exotic pepper

Szechuan pepper bears its origin in its name: it originally comes from the Chinese province of Sichuan, where it is an important part of traditional cuisine. Today, the plant is mainly cultivated in China, Japan, Nepal, Tibet and Korea, but also to some extent in Africa and America.

There are various names for Szechuan pepper, so it is also known as Japanese pepper, Chinese pepper, anise pepper or mountain pepper. Strictly speaking, Szechuan pepper is not a pepper, but belongs to the rue family as part of the Zanthoxylum genus and is therefore related to the citrus plants.

Szechuan Pepper: Aroma and use as a spice

Szechuan pepper is known less for its heat than for its tingling effect in the mouth. Due to the amides it contains, which make up up to three percent of the seed pods, the tongue and lips become slightly numb when eaten. Szechuan pepper also has a subtle citrus note.

Traditionally, Szechuan pepper is often combined with hot spices such as chili or hot paprika. The intense pepper is also part of the Asian “five spice powder”. Typical dishes with Szechuan pepper include the Chinese “hot pot”, a type of meat-based stew, and “momo”. The latter is a steamed dumpling dish eaten in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Szechuan pepper is often combined with meat dishes, but it also goes very well with legumes or vegetables such as pumpkin or carrots.

By the way: If possible, you should not heat Szechuan pepper, as the aroma is lost if the temperature is too high. It is therefore best to add the spice only at the end of the cooking time.

Usually only the seed shells are used as a spice, which carry the intense aroma. Harvest time of the fruits is in August. The seeds are then dried at 40 to 60 degrees Celsius. This makes it easier to detach the wrinkled red-brown to black seed pods. The peels are then either ground into a powder or sold whole, which preserves their volatile aroma for longer.

You can also eat the unripe fruit, the blossom and the young leaves. In Japan, for example, they are used in miso pastes.

Szechuan pepper as a medicinal herb

Szechuan pepper is said to have numerous healing effects. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, the plant is used as a remedy against cold and damp. However, these are not scientifically proven.

The seeds, fruit, and leaves contain antioxidants that are said to help with gastrointestinal problems and bladder disorders. Szechuan pepper, for example, is used against a feeling of fullness and is said to stimulate digestion. Traditionally, Szechuan pepper was also used as a remedy against worms, as it is said to have antibacterial and antiparasitic effects. Szechuan pepper is also known to be diuretic, antihypertensive and appetite stimulant.

In order to take advantage of the special healing effects, you can brew the leaves of the Szechuan pepper as a tea.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of the leaves to a cup.
Pour boiling water over them.
Let them steep for ten minutes.
Then remove the leaves.

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Identify the Calories in Peppers by Their Color

Peppers are a low-calorie snack. However, not every color has the same calories. You can easily tell how many calories the peppers have by their color. We present the different colors and their calories, carbohydrates, their nutrients, and suitable recipe ideas.

When they hear the word paprika, most people think of the large sweet peppers. However, the paprika genus, also called Capsicum, is a fruit. It also includes hot peppers and chili peppers, which, unlike sweet peppers, are hot. Sweet peppers come in the colors green, yellow, orange, and red. We show you the differences in the color of sweet peppers and how they differ in terms of their nutritional values.

Sweet peppers as a healthy snack

The bell-shaped sweet peppers are the only ones of their kind that do not contain the pungent substance capsaicin. Thus are rather mild. In addition, with a water content of 87%, they are very refreshing and a low-calorie snack, especially in summer. They also contain a lot of vitamin C and potassium. Peppers belong to the nightshade family and come in the common colors green, yellow, orange, and red.

But what is the difference between the different colors? The colors indicate the different stages of ripeness of sweet pepper. Sweet pepper is green at first, then turns yellow and goes from orange to red. Therefore, the green peppers are actually still unripe fruits and only the red peppers are fully ripe, which is why the sugar content differs.

Unripe, low-calorie peppers

However, unripe green peppers are safe to eat. Compared to the other colors, these contain the fewest calories with only 21 kcal per 100 grams and very few carbohydrates with only 2.8 grams of sugar per 100 grams. This makes them a good low-carb snack or a crunchy diet snack. However, they also contain significantly less vitamin C than the other varieties. On the other hand, green peppers have more iron than red peppers, for example, and fiber, which stimulates digestion.

Their taste is often slightly sour to bitter but contains a green freshness. They taste particularly good in combination with tomatoes and are suitable as a pizza topping or pasta. They generally taste good in Asian dishes and are a good balance to sweeter vegetables in cooked dishes due to the light, tart note. Also, note our tips for cooking vegetables and getting vitamins.

Yellow peppers have good nutritional values

The yellow ones are a little riper than the green ones. They have a much sweeter taste and are very fresh and juicy. Yellow peppers have a high percentage of juice. So you can juice them well or make smoothies out of them. They have about 37 calories and 5.3 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. They also contain significantly more vitamin C than the green version. Since only a few vegetables are yellow, they are a sunny eye-catcher and bring color and variety to every dish.

Yellow peppers are particularly good at handling heat, making them a good oven or grilled vegetable. But they can also be steamed well and are suitable for stuffed peppers with minced meat and potatoes. In addition, these are particularly popular with children and are good raw food. However, caution is advised, because due to the skin of the peppers, not everyone can tolerate them raw. Our tip: For people who love raw peppers: Cut a few yellow peppers into strips and dip them in hummus as a snack or just nibble on them.

There are also orange peppers

If you leave yellow peppers for a while, they turn orange. Compared to yellow peppers, they contain more carotenoids, which are responsible for the color. The green variant, on the other hand, does not contain any. Carotenoids are good for brain function. And the orange variant tastes a little sweeter than the “yellow siblings”.

With 30 kcal and 4.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, they have slightly fewer calories than yellow peppers. They can be used to prepare good sauces and dressings or salsas. Their taste goes especially well with green vegetables. They are ideal for salads but also a good raw food snack. They also taste great as stuffed peppers.

Tasty red with lots of calories and vitamins

The red pepper is fully ripe and tastes the fruitiest and sweetest. Only it contains about 140 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams. A heat-resistant carotenoid called lycopene, which is good for the heart and circulation and is one of the antioxidants, is responsible for the red color. Lycopene is a radical scavenger, which means that red peppers can be helpful in preventing cancer.

They also have significantly more vitamin A and zinc than the other colors. In addition, they are easy to insert or buy already inserted. But you can also puree them well and make hot sauces out of them, e.g. Ayvar. They are also often eaten dried. The classic, however, remains Hungarian-style stuffed peppers.

But they are also very heat resistant, which makes them good for grilling, roasting, baking in the oven, or stewing. The red ones are the most versatile of the peppers, as they are a good raw food in salads, but can also be used in dressings and sauces. The only downside: they are a bit more expensive and, at 67 calories and 6.4 grams of carbohydrates, have significantly more calories than the other colors. However, they are still a generally low-calorie and healthy snack compared to other alternatives. Nibble on red peppers is still better than a bag of chips. A delicious dish should not do without the red variant.

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Cayenne Pepper: Difference From Chilli, Use and Effect

Cayenne pepper appears in the list of ingredients in many a recipe. Pharmacies also offer heat patches with cayenne pepper extract. What makes it so versatile?

Do not confuse: cayenne pepper and chilli powder

Cayenne pepper and chili powder look almost the same visually. But what many do not know: It is not the same product.

Cayenne pepper consists only of ground chili peppers of the Cayenne variety. The Cayenne chili peppers grow on a subshrub (Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum) that is about 50 centimeters high. The spice was used as early as the 15th century and originally comes from South America. From the 18th century, powdered cayenne was also popular in England. The English could use it to flavor the dishes they had come to know in the Indian colonies. You can dry cayenne and then grind it into cayenne pepper.

What the vernacular understands as chili powder today, on the other hand, is a spice mixture. That means it is not pure chili. The basic ingredients include cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin and oregano. Depending on the spice mixture, nutmeg, cinnamon or cloves are also included. With chili powder you can, for example, cook the typical Mexican dish Chili con carne or the meat-free version Chili sin carne.

Cayenne pepper is much hotter than chili powder. The Scoville unit indicates how pungent a spice really is on our taste and circulatory systems. The degree of sharpness of pure cayenne pepper is between 30,000 and 60,000 Scoville. For comparison: The pepperoni is at the lower end of the scale with 100-500 Scoville, while a jalapeño chilli has much more heat with 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville.

The name cayenne pepper is also misleading because there is no relationship to the classic pepper. Red, green, and black pepper are all based on the fruits of the pepper plant.

How does cayenne pepper work?

According to BR, cayenne pepper can support the body as follows:
What makes cayenne pepper hot is the active ingredient capsaicin.
When you eat cayenne pepper, your body produces endorphins. Under certain circumstances, these can still put you in a euphoric state, the “pepper high”.
The capsaicin contained in cayenne pepper promotes blood circulation in the skin and muscles and even relieves pain by releasing your body’s endorphins.
According to the Apothekenumschau, cayenne pepper also has the following effects:
Due to its sharpness, the cayenne pepper has an antibacterial effect: it stimulates gastric acid production. Stomach acid kills pathogens that enter the body through food in the digestive tract.
The active ingredient capsaicin in cayenne pepper also boosts the body’s digestion.
According to the NDR, some dietary supplements with capsaicin promise to promote fat burning. Eating chili can also make you sweat.

But in addition to capsaicin, cayenne pepper contains something else that is important: It contains a high proportion of carotenoids and vitamin C. Both ingredients make cayenne pepper a valuable antioxidant. Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical substances that protect and strengthen our body from harmful influences.

Caution: If you have a sensitive stomach, you should not eat too spicy. This also applies if your stomach lining is weakened by stress, painkillers or other medication. Because the capsaicin it contains boosts gastric acid production

Many different dishes can be prepared with cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper traditionally comes from the national cuisine of South America. In addition, it is also used in the kitchens of India, China and Indonesia.

The cayenne pepper gives many dishes a spicy note. You can use it to refine various dishes – for example your pumpkin soup, your arrabiata sauce or your marinade. Or mix some cayenne pepper into vegan dips to flavor them.

As a special insider tip in the cold season, you can sprinkle some cayenne pepper on your hot chocolate. Have fun enjoying!

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Lemon Pepper: Application and How to Make it Yourself

Spices like lemon pepper give many dishes the right kick. In our instructions, we will show you which dishes are best refined with lemon pepper and how you can make it yourself at home.

Lemon pepper is a delicious spice mix that you can use to refine many dishes. You can buy this spice mixture ready-made in the supermarket. However, you should always make sure that only lemon zest and pepper are listed on the list of ingredients. Because many lemon peppers offered in the supermarket are actually more seasoned salts. The main ingredients are salt, sugar and sometimes also glutamate. The actual spice is only contained in small quantities.

Also make sure that it is definitely the right lemon pepper. Indonesian lemon pepper is a type of pepper related to Szechuan pepper and is a completely different spice.

Using Lemon Pepper: Application in the kitchen

The freshness of the lemon paired with the spiciness of the pepper goes particularly well with the following dishes:
Salads: If you love Mediterranean cuisine, you should definitely stir a pinch of lemon pepper into your next potato, tomato or carrot salad.
Grilled vegetables: Summer vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant taste particularly delicious if you marinate them with a little lemon pepper before grilling.
Fish dishes: A pinch of lemon pepper after cooking makes white fish really aromatic. Fish soup can also be tasted excellently with it.
Poultry: Chicken thighs marinated in lemon pepper taste great on the grill in the summer.
Your creativity knows no limits. If a dish is missing the icing on the cake, lemon pepper is usually the right choice. If you like baking Christmas cookies, you can even add a pinch of lemon pepper to your shortbread dough.

Make lemon pepper yourself – instructions

You can also easily make lemon pepper yourself:
Remove the outer zest of four unwaxed organic lemons with a lemon or parmesan grater. Peel off only the yellow layer on the outside. The white middle layer tastes bitter and gives the finished lemon salt an unpleasant taste.
Add exactly the same amount of coarsely ground black pepper (by volume) to the lemon zest. If you don’t have a pepper mill, you can coarsely grind the pepper by putting it in a freezer bag and crushing it with the rolling pin.
Dry your lemon salt for an hour in the oven or dehydrator at 50 °C (circulating air). You don’t have to preheat the oven for this.
If you want, you can also turn your lemon pepper into a seasoning salt. To do this, mix two teaspoons of coarse sea salt flakes into your finished spice mixture.

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