Pleasure & pain

Chillies can be your friend in the kitchen but you've got to take time to get to know them.

I have a chilli memory that brings me no pleasure. I was rifling through a box of pretty, almost pastel-coloured baby capsicums, and came across one so gorgeous and perfectly formed, I just had to eat it. I imagined its sweetness as I bit through its golden skin and sucked on the juices as they burst across my tongue. I formed a perfect seal with my lips against the membranes to avoid losing any juice.

In the time it took for the pain receptors in my mouth to tell my brain I had just eaten something hot, my heart rate went through the roof and I felt sure I was about to die or become permanently blind or insane. Actually, a lot went through my mind but what I remember most clearly is the pain was excruciating.

I had eaten a scotch bonnet, a vicious chilli I now know is one of the hottest in the world. On the Scoville scale (the system used to measure the strength of chillies) the scotch bonnet comes in at 325,000. To give this some context, tabasco sauce is around 2500. A green pepper is zero Scovilles and police-issue pepper spray is five million. I am surprised I am still alive.

So it’s no shock, then, that I have little tolerance for chillies. As much as I want to love them, I just haven’t been able to. I have read of their addictive opiate qualities, and although many cuisines would never consider a dish without them, their carefree use frightens me. Despite all this, I am slowly and cautiously coming to terms with the chilli, using small quantities to provide a gentle tingle to some dishes, mixing a little bit of ­pleasure with the occasional stab of pain.

It’s amazing how well this works – the cockles release their salty juices into the broth, the bacon adds a subtle smokiness and the potatoes absorb all the delicious flavours.

COCKLES WITH MISO, CHILLI, BLACK BEANS AND POTATOES

500g small potatoes

100ml mirin

For the miso base, pour the water into a saucepan and add the dashi granules. Peel the ginger and cut into matchsticks. Add to the saucepan and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then strain the broth into a clean saucepan. To the dashi broth add the miso paste and mirin. Simmer for 5 ­minutes.

Heat the miso base in a deep saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cut the potatoes in half, add to the saucepan and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. While the potatoes cook, wash the cockles under cold running water to remove any sand or grit. Slice the bacon into 1cm-wide strips. Heat a frying pan until warm and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon turns golden brown. Trim the bok choy of any bruised leaves, cut into quarters and place into the simmering broth. Tip the cockles into the broth, cover the pan with a lid and steam over a low heat until they open (throw away any that don’t). Finely chop the chilli and add to the pan with the black beans. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the saucepan from time to time. Remove from the heat, divide between warm bowls and sprinkle the bacon over the top to garnish.

Serves 4.

SUCH A SIMPLE salad with only a gentle amount of heat.

CHICKEN AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH CHILLI DRESSING

½ a cucumber

½ tsp sugar

To make the dressing, peel and crush the garlic clove. Chop it finely and place in a small bowl. Cut the chilli in half along the length, scrape out the seeds with the tip of a sharp knife and discard them, then thinly slice the chilli. Add it to the garlic with the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Whisk together with a fork.

Slice the cucumber in half lengthways and cut into thick slices. Toss through the dressing and set aside.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a shallow frying pan. Pour in the stock and gently poach over a low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock, allow to rest for 3-5 minutes then shred with 2 forks. Place the lettuce leaves on each plate, add the chicken and then the cucumber. Pour the dressing over the top and serve.

Serves 2.

COOL AND SUBTLE, this dish is deeply satisfying and pickled vegetables are so easy to make.

CHILLED SOMEN NOODLES WITH CHILLI-PICKLED VEGETABLES

brine recipe

splash of sesame oil

For the brine, place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.

To prepare the pickled vegetables, peel the carrots and trim into finger-length batons if required. Scrub the radishes well under cold running water and cut into quarters from top to bottom. Remove the outer leaves from the bok choy and discard. Using the tip of a sharp knife, remove the core and discard. Trim the remaining leaves into thin strips. Pack the vegetables into individual sealable storage containers, pour the brine over them, cover and refrigerate for 3-4 days before using. They will keep for about a month.

The cabbage is the spicy one, where all the heat comes from.

Cut the cabbage leaves into 2cm-wide strips, discarding the thick ribs of each leaf. Toss the leaves in a bowl with the salt and half the sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Finely chop the garlic and ginger and combine in a large bowl with the chilli powder, fish sauce, soy sauce and the remaining sugar. Add a little water if it looks too sludgy – it should resemble a thin mayonnaise. Finely shred the spring onions and stir in. Drain the cabbage, add to the bowl and toss together. Transfer to a plastic container, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. It will last for 4 weeks.

To cook the somen noodles, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the noodles and bring to the boil. Add a cup of cold water, and when it begins to boil again, add another cup of cold water. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain through a colander and rinse under plenty of cold running water. Leave the noodles to drain, then toss them in a bowl with the soy and sesame oil. Check for seasoning, then serve in individual bowls, with separate bowls of pickled vegetables.

Serves 4.