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Why Are There Different Coloured Chillies ?

In fruit cells, chlorophyll molecules absorb blue and red light which means that green light is reflected (which is why the fruit are green) Also, molecules of anthocyanins and carotin are present in smaller quantities in the fruit and reflect yellow and red/purple respectively. In most plants, chlorophyll is present in massively greater quantities and completely masks other pigments during the active growing stage. Chlorophyll is unstable and has to be replaced regularly throughout the life of the plant.

Summer Turns To Autumn

As the summer turns to autumn, shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger the formation of a water-proof, cork-like substance (suberin) in a layer between the cells at the stem of the fruit. This layer progressively reduces the flow of nutrients into the leaf and chlorophyll production ceases.

Shorter days and cooler temperatures also trigger the plant to produce ethylene (a simple gas) which in turn triggers the production of several different enzymes.

Puberty For Chillies

These enzymes perform a number of functions in the fruit. One of these is the break down of starches into sugars, which is why ripe chillies are sweeter than the green equivalent. Other processes are the break down of pectin (the glue between the fruit cells) making the chillies softer and the break down of acids eliminating the sour taste that green fruit can have.

With the reduction in nutrients, the chlorophyll breaks down and this enables the previously masked carotene and/or anthocyanin pigments to show through. In some chillies, the anthocyanin levels are very high as the result of a secondary action of simple sugars in the presence of sunlight (which is why fruits ripen red, orange or purple on the sunny side). Chillies with increased levels of anthocyanins in their leaves turn red or red-dish purple when the chlorophyll has broken down.

Chilli Art

Rather like an artist mixing primary colours on his palette, the presence of the two main groups of pigments - the flavonoids including anthocyanins give yellow through red to blue and the carotenoids – carotin which give yellow through to orange. These are then split into numerous colour pigments such as cyanin (red), pelargonidin (brick red), delphinidin (blue) etc.

Anthocyanin is also fascinating because it yields different colours according to pH of the liquid within the pigment bearing cells. The same pigment molecule gives us blue in Purple Tiger chillies when cell contents are alkaline and red in Jalapenos when the cell contents are acid. The colour can remain almost stable through the life of the chilli or may change markedly. This serves as an indicator to birds whether the chilli is ready to eat or not as birds are not affected by the capsaicin heat and are the primary agent for the spreading of chilli seeds in the wild.

If you have any questions on this article or anything else, just go to our Nigel Knows page and we'll get the answer to you.

Recipe Of The Week

Idiyappam

Serves 3-5 (depending on whether it's a side dish or the main item).

• 225g rice sticks or vermicelli
• 4 tablsp oil
• 50g cashew nuts
• 0.5 onion, chopped
• 3 eggs, hard boiled and cut into segments
• 150g fresh or frozen peas
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 10 curry plant leaves
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 small red capsicum, diced
• 2 red cayenne chilles, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tablesp tomato paste
• 1 teasp salt

Soak the rice sticks/vermicelli in cold water for 30 minutes, drain them and put in a saucepan of boiling water. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the hot water off after 3 minutes. The quickly refresh the noodles by running some cold water over them for 10 seconds. Drain.

Heat half the oil and fry the cashews until they’re golden brown. Watch them closely as this tends to happen quite quickly once they get to temperature. Now fry the onion on high until golden brown. Cook the peas in a little boiling water until tender.

Add the other half of the oil to the first half and quickly fry the curry leaves. Then add the carrots, capsicum, chilli, and leek and stir for one minute. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste and noodles and stir constantly to prevent the noodles sticking to the frying pan for about two minutes.

Serve on a plate and garnish with the eggs, peas, cashews and fried onion.

Chilli Close Up - The Cayenne

This chilli is most likely to have originated in what is now known as French Guiana in northeastern South America. The name is believed to have been taken from either the Cayenne River or the country’s capital, Cayenne.

In Australia, these are generally the chillies you see in the supermarkets and greengrocers. They are readily available in four colours; green (immature), red, orange and yellow with no real difference in flavour.

With regard to heat, the green pods are generally milder than the ripe ones, however, this is a rule of thumb only. On the Scoville scale cayennes produce results of 30-50,000 scovilles which would equilibrate to approximately a 7 out of 10.

While they can be used in fresh form wherever chillies are required the most common usage is as a dry, ground, red powder. However, to confuse the issue, legally any small red chilli can be ground up and called cayenne.

If you specifically need cayennes, buy them fresh - the flavour is infinitely better !