Using Whole Dried Chiles

We stock quite a variety of whole dried chiles in our store. From the tiny Pequins to the slender and fiery Thai Reds to the rich and wrinkly Anchos, there's something for every purpose and every heat level. But we get asked quite often about how one actually uses them.

The answer to that isn't simple, because depending on what you are making, there are several ways to use dried chiles. However, we think it can be broken down into three typical methods.

METHOD 1 is the simplest: you can add whole dried chiles to a dish as you are cooking it, and then either remove them before serving, or eat around them. This would be typical of simmered dishes like spicy curries or stir-fried dishes like Pad Thai, for example. No fuss at all -- just cook the chiles into the dish to get the heat and flavour from them, and then pluck them out and toss them.

METHOD 2 involves a little more patience, but is just as easy: you can infuse whole chiles into any number of liquids. Chile oil, spicy vinegar, pickling brine, even a spicy vodka or tequila for cocktails. This works best if the liquid is hot at the beginning, but as long as you give it some time, chiles will infuse lots of their heat and flavour into your liquids.

METHOD 3 is the most complicated, but also the most rewarding. This involves rehydrating and blending up whole chiles to add to your dish. There are lots of ways to do this, but the basic method is as follows:

Step 1: tear any stems off your whole chiles. Rip or cut open the chiles and shake out most of the seeds (the seeds are bitter and add nothing to the dish). Sear the chiles in a hot, dry pan for about a minute per side, pressing down with a spatula or something to blister the flesh.

Step 2: soak the seared chiles in hot or boiling water for around 15 minutes to rehydrate them.

    

Step 3: blend the chiles with a little liquid into a smooth paste. You can use the soaking water if you want, but a little stock or beer works well too (depending on the dish you're making). Add the paste to your pot during cooking,.

This third method is ideal for dishes like our Silk Road Smoky Bison and Black Bean Chili and mole sauce for enchiladas. It can also be great as a base for barbeque sauce. Another good idea is making a more complex roasted chile sauce that can be frozen in an ice cube tray and used in soups or tacos as needed. Here's a recipe from Rick Bayless that makes excellent use of a variation on our method 3 here. There are many good and similar recipes out there if you want to do a little searching. 

Whatever you end up doing with your whole chiles, there is one cardinal rule: don't worry about it! Any way you get them into your food will work. Chiles are hot, but they are very forgiving. It's almost impossible to mess it up.

Oh, and we recommend using gloves when handling whole chiles, especially the hotter ones. And ALWAYS wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face or using the washroom. Two! Two cardinal rules.