Chili Flakes – a one-ingredient condiment that can bring life to any food! A bit of spice in your dishes won’t hurt, so why not make chili flakes, right? You can use this for main dishes, soups & stews, and snacks!
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It’s a nutritious, delicious, and versatile ingredient for culinary adventures in your kitchen!
How to Make Chili Flakes
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your chili flakes (crushed chilies) at home. This recipe requires only one ingredient. Even just a teaspoon of this product will hugely impact any dish!
Scotch Bonnet for the Chili Flakes Recipe
With up to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), the scotch bonnet is one of the hottest peppers in the world. It is definitely hotter than the classic jalapeño! Scotch bonnets come in different colors and usually measure up to 2 ½ inches.
Scotch bonnet also has a sweetness that balances perfectly with the spicy taste. According to The Guardian, the scotch bonnet is beneficial for pain treatment, weight loss, cancer prevention, and dental health.
This is the only ingredient to make superb chili flakes!
Directions
Before anything else, ensure that you have gloves to protect your hands from the heat.
- Rinse and dry the scotch bonnet in a colander.
- Destalk it before slicing and shredding it with a knife.
- Preheat the oven to 85°c or 185°F.
- Place a grill mesh mat over an oven rack.
- Arrange the scotch bonnet evenly.
- Dehydrate them for 2 hours or until crisp.
- Once cooled, crush the contents with a pestle or spice grinder.
- Transfer the contents into an airtight jar ready for use or storage!
Creating this condiment on your own is practical, affordable, and safe. With this recipe, you may want to add chili flakes to every dish you make!
Tips
How to Purchase and Store Scotch Bonnet
Store. Put the unwashed scotch bonnet in resealable bags and store them in the crisper drawer for up to 3 weeks. You can also extend shelf life by freezing it in freezer bags.
Dehydrating Scotch Bonnet Without an Oven
If you don’t have an oven, try the following methods.
Griller
Set your griller to a low temperature. Place a grill mesh mat on top and organize the chopped scotch bonnet on top. Continue to grill until crisp and dry.
Dehydrator
Arrange the scotch bonnet on the dehydrator tray and let the machine perform its purpose. Note that this takes time and can even last up to days.
Airdry
Place the scotch bonnet on a tray and use cheesecloth to cover it. Put the tray under direct sunlight and wait for days until it becomes dry. Keep it away from moisture and rain to achieve the desired dryness.
Distribute the chopped scotch bonnet in the air fryer basket. Set the machine to its lowest temperature and let it dehydrate for up to 40 minutes or until dry. Air fry them in batches to prevent clumping.
Variations
This chili flakes recipe is suitable for vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, keto, and climatarian diets. In fact, it is a popular ingredient for weight loss dishes and meal plans. Aside from scotch bonnet, you can also use jalapeño, anaheim, red chili, or red cayenne.
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Recommended Tools
- Oven/Dehydrator/Air-fryer: Dehydrate the scotch bonnet in an oven.
- Knife: Slice and shred it using a clean knife.
- Grill mesh mat: Place it on the oven rack to prevent the chili from falling.
- Pestle and mortar: Crush the dehydrated scotch bonnet to make the flakes.
- Gloves: Wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat of the scotch bonnet.
- Bowl: Transfer the dehydrated scotch bonnet into a bowl.
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How to Use Chili Flakes
Chili flakes are so versatile that you can use them for almost any dish imaginable. It can also be used as a marinade, rub, topping, or seasoning. Use it moderately to ensure that you do not overdo it.
You can use the chili flakes for:
- Fish Seasoning
- Crispy Chicken Wings
- Pan Fried Fish Fillet
- Jollof Rice
- Egusi Soup
- Chicken Gizzard Stew
- Roast Chicken
Storage Tips
- At room temperature: Put the chili flakes in an airtight container to last up to several weeks at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are red pepper flakes and chili flakes the same?
No, they are not the same. Aside from having different colors, red pepper flakes and chili flakes differ in the level of spice and flavor.
What is a substitute for chili flakes?
The Spruce Eats recommends using dried peppers, ground cayenne pepper, and chili powder as substitutes for chili flakes.
What are chili flakes made of?
Chili flakes are made of dried or dehydrated chilis with veins and seeds included.
Scotch Bonnet Chili Flakes
Equipment
- Dehydrator (or oven or air-fryer)
- Gloves
Ingredients
- 220 g scotch bonnets (22 medium-sized scotch bonnets)
Instructions
- Prepare the scotch bonnet. Before anything else, ensure that you have gloves to protect your hands from the heat. Rinse and dry the scotch bonnet. Destalk it before slicing and shredding it with a knife.
- Dehydrate the shredded scotch bonnet. Preheat the oven to 85°c or 185°F. Place a grill mesh mat over an oven rack. Arrange the scotch bonnet evenly. Place the racks in the preheated oven. Dehydrate them for 2 hours or until crisp. Allow them to cool for a minute.
- Crush the dehydrated scotch bonnet. Once cool, pour the scotch bonnet into a bowl. For a more delicate texture, crush the contents with a pestle. Alternatively, you can also achieve the same texture by using a coffee grinder. Transfer the contents into an airtight jar ready for use or storage!
Video
Notes
- Remember to use gloves when preparing the chili flakes.
- If you don’t have an oven, you can use a dehydrator, air fryer, grill, or even the sun to dehydrate the scotch bonnet.
- Minimize the heat from the scotch bonnet by wearing gloves.
- You can dip your hands in milk, oil, dish soap, or alcohol to remove the spice.
- To slow down the process of losing its heat, place the container in an area without much sunlight or air.
- The smaller the scotch bonnet, the hotter it’ll be!
Nutrition
