Cocktails with Red chili pepper
Red chili pepper is the pungent, ripened fruit of Capsicum plants in the nightshade family, whose heat comes from capsaicin.
Taste profile
Sharp capsaicin heat that builds on the palate, over a mild vegetal, faintly fruity flesh; the pith carries the strongest burn.
How it's used
Slice, muddle, or sliver it into the build to add capsaicin heat, dosing by variety and by how much pith and placenta are kept or removed to dial the burn up or down; since capsaicin is hydrophobic, water does not wash the heat away.
Substitutes for Red chili pepper
Only another capsaicin-bearing chili can supply the defining heat — dried chili flakes, a chili tincture, or hot sauce work as an accent; unrelated pungent ingredients such as black pepper or ginger give a different sensation and cannot stand in.
Often confused with
Sweet/bell pepper
Sweet or bell peppers are also Capsicum fruit, largely C. annuum, but are non-pungent, contributing vegetal flavour and colour without capsaicin heat; a red chili pepper is defined by its pungency.
