Peppers are very important ingredients to prepare salad, stir-fries, and other tasty recipes. All the sweet peppers, as well as the hot and spicy peppers, are the member of the capsicum family. Scoville Heat Units (SHU) is used to measure the heat of different peppers. The higher SHU value indicates the spicy level of the pepper. Different types of peppers have different characteristics. Here are some tips to know when and how to add different types of pepper in different recipes.
Bell pepper
You can find this big size sweet peppers in a rainbow of colors like green, red, orange and more. As this type of peppers is mild-sweet in taste so these are perfect to stuff. You can add versatile flavor by using bell pepper. The spice level (SHU) of this type of pepper is 0.
Mini sweet pepper
Although the taste and look of mini sweet pepper are similar to bell pepper, it is smaller in size. It has fewer seeds to dig out and taste slightly sweeter. The spice level (SHU) also the same. You can easily use it as scoops for your favorite dip or roast. You also can sauté it like the bell pepper.
Banana pepper
This type of pepper has a long curved shape and yellowish hue. For this reason, it is called the banana pepper. The spice level (SHU) varies from 0 to 500. So you can consider it as mild heat pepper. It is often used on sandwiches to make it more pickled.
Cherry pepper
Cherry pepper is found in heart-shaped. This red color pepper is also known as Pimento or Pimiento. It tastes mildly sweet and smells like supercharged red bell pepper. You can use it to add the sweet flavor to a dish like roasted red peppers. The spice level (SHU) is 100-500.
Jalapeno
It is known as the king of spicy peppers. The spice level (SHU) is from 2500 to 8000. It is not only the spiciest but also the most popular pepper. Some spicy dishes like jalapeno-lime vinaigrette or jalapeno parmesan-crusted grilled cheese wouldn’t be complete without this type of pepper.
However, always remember that heat can vary from pepper to pepper. One jalapeno could taste mild heat than another jalapeno. If you are unable to handle the heat of the pepper just take some dairy like yogurt or milk. It will help you to bring balance the spicy heat in chilies. When you want to reduce the spice level slightly then you can remove the seed and the whitish ribs before applying it in any recipe.