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Alternative names | Chile flakes Red pepper flakes |
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Type | Spice |
Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes is a condiment or spice[1] consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers. This condiment is most often produced from cayenne-type peppers, although commercial producers may use a variety of different cultivars, usually within the 30,000–50,000 Scoville unit range.[2] Often there is a high ratio of seeds, which are erroneously believed to contain the most heat.[3] Crushed red pepper is used by food manufacturers in pickling blends, chowders, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, soups and sausage.
Crushed red pepper in Turkey, served as a common condiment with very few seeds, is known as pul biber. One specially prepared variety of it is the urfa pul biber (isot).
Background
[edit]Crushed red pepper, known for its spicy heat, comes from a range of capsicum peppers.[4] Red pepper chilis originally start off green before ripening into an orange-red to deep dark red color and are best grown in the summer months—between 70–84 °F (21–29 °C) and sunny weather.[4] One or multiple red chili peppers—up to four cultivars—can be used to create crushed red pepper.[5] Jalapeños, serranos and Anaheim chilis are some of the most commonly used chilies to make crushed red pepper.[5] Crushed red pepper is frequently found in a variety of dishes including Italian, Indian, Mexican and Caribbean.[4]
Over time, crushed red pepper loses its spiciness level and typically lasts up to 12 to 18 months.[6] Today, China and Turkey are among the top countries to produce crushed red pepper.[5]
History
[edit]Red chili peppers, which are a part of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, were first found in Central and South America and have been harvested for use since about 7,500 BCE.[4] Spanish explorers were introduced to the pepper while on a search for black pepper.[4] Once brought back to Europe, the red peppers were traded in Asian countries and were enjoyed primarily by Indian cooks.[4] The village of Bukovo, North Macedonia, is often credited with the creation of crushed red pepper.[5] The name of the village—or a derivative of it—is now used as a name for crushed red pepper in general in many Southeast European languages: буковска пипер/буковец, bukovska piper/bukovec (Macedonian), bukovka (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene) and μπούκοβο, boukovo, búkovo (Greek).
Southern Italians popularized crushed red pepper beginning in the 19th century and heavily used them in the U.S. when they migrated over.[5] Crushed red pepper was served with dishes at some of the oldest Italian restaurants in the U.S.[5] Crushed red pepper shakers have become a standard on tables at Mediterranean restaurants—and especially pizzerias—around the world.[7]
Health benefits
[edit]The source of bright red color that the peppers hold comes from carotenoids.[8] Crushed red pepper also has antioxidants that are thought to help fight off heart disease and cancer.[8][medical citation needed] In addition, crushed red pepper contains fiber, capsaicin (the source of the heat in pepper chilis), vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.[5] Capsaicin is believed to help kill off prostate cancer cells, to serve as an appetite suppressant which can contribute to weight loss, to improve digestion,[8][medical citation needed] and to help prevent diabetes and constipation.[5][medical citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ Bray, Matt (August 17, 2019). "Red Pepper Flakes Vs. Crushed Red Pepper: PepperScale Showdown". PepperScale. Cindermint, LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ Bovino, Arthur (April 10, 2012). "What Are Crushed Red Pepper Flakes?". The Daily Meal. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ Gallary, Christine. "No, the Seeds Are Not the Spicy Part of a Chili Pepper". Kitchn. Apartment Therapy, LLC. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Institute, McCormick Science. "Red Pepper". McCormick Science Institute. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Red Pepper Flakes: The Macedonian Take On Chili Peppers". SPICEography. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- ^ Werner, Tommy. "All About Red Pepper Flakes | Epicurious". www.epicurious.com. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
- ^ Best, Cooked (July 2020). "All About Red Pepper Flakes". Cooked Best. Cooked Best.
- ^ a b c Bray, Matt (2019-01-19). "Crushed Red Pepper Nutrition - How Healthy Is It?". PepperScale. Retrieved 2021-04-21.