Cayenne pepper is one of those products that we all have in our kitchen, but many people hardly know anything about it. After all, the jar with powder is in the spice rack of every supermarket. What is cayenne pepper made of, how do you use it and what is the nutritional value – if any – of cayenne pepper? We can then use cayenne pepper in more ways than we do now.
The base
Cayenne pepper comes from the nightshade family and is made from one of many types of chili peppers. The botanical name is Capsicum annuum (North and South America) and Capsicum fastigiatum (Africa).
Cayenne pepper is produced by drying the fruit and then grinding or pulverizing it. In the latter case, it is baked and then ground and sieved. Cayenne pepper gets its name from Cayenne. This is the capital of French Guiana.
Cayenne pepper is available as a fresh product, dried and in powder form. The latter is most commonly used in Western Europe and is probably due to its simplicity of use. We mainly find cayenne pepper in dishes from Asian countries.
Health aspects
Cayenne pepper contains quite a few nutrients, namely:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B2 and B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Manganese
- Iron
To avoid
Although they contain sufficient nutrients, nightshade vegetables (which also includes cayenne pepper) contain substances that are not good if you suffer from increased intestinal permeability. People with this condition should avoid cayenne pepper.
Good for the body
It is known that regular use of cayenne pepper can help dissolve mucus and it also has a mild analgesic effect. It also contains substances against cardiovascular disease and cayenne pepper stimulates more oxygen to be transported to the tissues. Furthermore, it can prevent oxidation in fatty tissue and allows the liver to function better.
Cayenne pepper also has a good effect on blood sugar levels. It is able to avoid the well-known peaks and valleys, which we should avoid as much as possible. Less well known is the fact that it is an excellent mosquito repellent and that it stimulates hair growth. Finally, cayenne pepper helps to stop bleeding, something that you would normally not use cayenne pepper for. Not a bad thing to have cayenne pepper in the “first aid” box.
Application in the kitchen
In addition to adding extra flavor to a wide variety of dishes, some cayenne pepper can also be added if you make chocolate yourself, for example. It gives the whole a strong boost and as such has been used for several generations.
We wrongly only see a lot of cayenne pepper in Eastern or Thai dishes. But cayenne pepper can be used in any kitchen. Consider seasoning:
- Cooked vegetables such as string beans, broccoli or peas.
- A fresh salad with fish, capers and some goat cheese.
- The different uses of pak choi.
- Stuffed eggs as a snack.
- Houmous on toast.
- A fresh yoghurt, egg or cucumber salad.
- Fried mini spring roll.
- As an extra bite with various applications of prawns.
As a seasoning, it is very personal what else you can add, but the above aspects are well known and appreciated by many. It is often a matter of trial and error to arrive at the ultimate taste. Start with a limited amount of cayenne pepper to slowly achieve the ultimate taste. Please note that with spicy herbs it is always better to build up slowly. Otherwise you run the risk of taking away too much flavor from the actual dish.
Finally
Although it can be found in many kitchens, cayenne pepper is still not used enough in Dutch cuisine. Try something out and slowly broaden your taste, if only because it is also good for the body and is a surprising seasoning.
