What with all of the recent summer sun around this is the optimal time for growing chillis – John at Jumping Red Ant tells me that sunshine and chillies go hand in hand. Chillis are packed full of nutrients – in particular chillies are full of vitamin C and in fact have more vitamin C than oranges, so they are great at boosting the immune system. Chillies also contain a nutrient called capsaicin. Capsaicin is what gives chilli peppers their spicy sensation and is said to have anti-inflammatory properties. There is so much you can do with chillies. Chillies are usually found in Asian-type dishes but you can add to just about anything to boost the flavour – in particular they’re great in stir-fries, curries, pasta dishes, as an addition to a pickle or a chutney or you could even add to olive oil as flavouring.
On the subject of chillies, over at Purus Blue Lotus Liz has a number of chilli plants in stock at the moment. So if you love chillies and would like to have a go at growing your own do pop by to see Liz and check out what she has on offer.
