posted by www.firefoods.co.uk on Dec 30

Naga Curry

3 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp freshly-grated ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground curry leaves
1 tbsp paprika
12 to 15 Naga Jolokia chillis, chopped
100g red lentils
450g cubed beef
2 large onions, finely sliced
4 tbsp butter or ghee
salt and black pepper, to taste
10 small Charlotte potatoes, halved
5 Naga Jolokia chillies, sliced

Add the butter or ghee to an oven-proof casserole and use to sweat-down the onions until mealtingly soft. Now add the spices and the first lot of chillies and stir through. Add the beef and stir until completely browned before adding the lentils, seasoning to taste and adding enough water to completely cover all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover the dish and place in an oven pre-heated to 150°C. Allow to cook for an hour then add the potatoes and the remaining chillis.

posted by www.firefoods.co.uk on Dec 29

Here is some info on the worlds hottest chilli:
The bhut jolokia (English: king cobra chile) – also known as naga jolokia, Dorset naga, naga morich, or ghost chili – is a chili pepper. In 2007, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina. It is a naturally occurring inter-specific hybrid originating in the Assam region of northeastern India.[1][2] It also grows in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur (manipuri name ‘oo-morok’ ‘oo’ = tree, ‘morok’ = chilli). Disagreement has arisen on whether it is a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense. Some claim it is a C. frutescens,[3] but recent DNA tests have found that it is an interspecies hybrid, mostly C. chinense with some C. frutescens genes.[4]
In 2000, scientists at India’s Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale,[3] and in 2004 an Indian company obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units through HPLC analysis.[5] This makes it almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper, Guinness World Record holder at that time. For comparison, Tabasco red pepper sauce rates at 2,500-5,000, and pure capsaicin (the chemical responsible for the pungency of pepper plants) rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units. [6]
In 2005, at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, regents Professor Paul Bosland found bhut jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.[1]
In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the bhut jolokia (Prof. Bosland’s preferred name for the pepper) as the world’s hottest chili pepper.[1][7]
The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of bhut jolokia peppers is dramatic. A 2005 Indian study that compared the percentage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in bhut jolokia peppers grown in both Tezpur (Assam) and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) showed that the heat of the pepper is decreased by over 50% in Gwalior’s more arid climate (similar temperatures but less humid, much lower rainfall).[8] Ripe peppers measure 60 to 85 mm (2.4 to 3.3 in) long and 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) wide with an orange or red color. They are similar in appearance to the habanero pepper, but have a rougher, dented skin – a main characteristic of the Bhut Jolokia.[9]
The pepper is used as a spice in food or eaten alone. One seed from a bhut jolokia can produce sustained intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Extreme care should be taken when ingesting the pepper and its seeds, so as to not get it in the eyes. It is used as a cure for stomach ailments. It is also used as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration.[2] In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or used in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance.[10][11]
In 2009, scientists at India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the chillies in hand grenades, as a less lethal way to control rioters.[12]