Capsicums

Description

As the world is going gaga over coloured foods, capsicums or bell peppers remain the favourite of all healthy eaters. Red, green, yellow or orange, they all are essentially just green capsicums that have been allowed to ripen. While the red capsicums are fully ripened and require more time to grow, the green ones are harvested earlier which makes them a little bitter in taste and are easily available at a cheaper price in the market. The yellow ones exist in the middle of their color spectrum that has a very mild taste as compared to others. In simple words, the differences between the taste, appearance, and aroma of all the varieties are not genetic but purely chemical, defined by the ripening process cycle in which they release a series of colorful, delicious natural compounds. Also, according to experts, red, yellow and orange capsicums carry more nutrients as compared to the green ones. Scroll through to decode the secret of colours and their magic in taste.

Why capsicum is good to eat

• Capsicums are an excellent source of vitamin A and C (red contain more than green capsicums).
• They are also a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin E, B6 and folate.
• The sweetness of capsicums is due to their natural sugars (green capsicums have less sugar than red capsicums).
• Energy – 100 g of green capsicum supplies 90 kJ (105 kJ from red capsicum).

How to store and keep capsicum

Store capsicums in the crisper section of your fridge. Ordinary plastic bags cause capsicums to sweat, so only use fridge storage bags. Capsicum should be used within five days.

How to use

To help remove the blackened skin of roasted peppers, place in a plastic bag and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.

For a Mediterranean flavour – remove the stem and stuff red and green capsicums with a mixture of rice, tomato, pine nuts and fresh herbs and bake until soft and tender.

For a fresh, tangy salsa to accompany grilled fish – mix chopped roasted red and yellow peppers, a small chilli, coriander leaf, red onion and dress with red wine vinegar oil and lime.

Make a delicious savoury dip by pureeing roasted peppers, garlic, capers and fresh herbs with oil and lemon juice.