There's nothing more appealing than ripe red chillies!
What is so satisfying about growing chillies is their fruit can be used to make sauces, salsas, sambals, rubs, vinegars and oils, as well as just being chopped up and served fresh as an extra spice with a meal.
HARVESTING CHILLIES
To maximise the production of fruit, pinch off the growing tips of young plants. This encourages the formation of more branches and thus more fruit. Water frequently, especially when they are in flower. When chillies wilt, they tend to drop their flowers and that means no fruit. The area should also be sheltered from the wind so that the flowers don't get blown off. Regular feeding will also increase the yield. You can feed twice a month with a liquid pot plant food at half the strength or just once a month.
Another way to increase the yield is to do a staggered harvest. Start picking fruit when half of the crop is still green and don't wait for all the fruit to ripen. This tricks the bush into producing more flowers and fruit. When the mature fruit is ready for harvesting, there will still be another flush developing.
Green fruit is just as edible as the mature fruit, but is not as pungent. However, it is higher in Vitamin C, while the mature fruit is higher in Vitamin A (beta carotene) and is sweeter.
SALSA FRESCA
This is a very simple, quick and easy to make salsa that goes with absolutely everything - even bacon and eggs at breakfast.
4 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped Coriander or herb of your choice
Half a small onion, chopped
2 Fresh chillies, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Half teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients together and leave for 15 minutes before serving. Serve as an accompaniment to any bean, rice, egg or meat dish. Just remember that this salsa does not keep long not even in the fridge.
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