The last days of summer are upon us. Which does mean the end of summer produce. Although, I'm more fond of peppers, which are a fall crop. So, as much as I might want to lament shorter days and the threat of frost? It's time for garden fresh peppers! I tend to do predominantly hot peppers, but mixed in some milder varieties this year. Partially because I was out of town during the beginning of growing season. But also because the nursery that I count on for things like ghost peppers and Carolina reapers had a pretty bad aphid infestation (which is incredibly common; it's good to quarantine new plants in case of disease or pests before integrating them). All of this meant that I ended up with plants that are much milder, but also have fun names. Hence the Quinoa w/ Summer Squash & Super Chili Peppers.
Super chili peppers are technically considered "hot." According to the tag that came with them, they're about 50,000 Scoville heat units (SHUs). This puts them at about the spiciness of a cayenne pepper (or, hotter than a Serrano, but not as hot as a habanero). For a lot of people, this is about as hot as you're going to want to get. Although a Carolina reaper can be more than 2.2 million Scovilles. So, it's all a matter of perspective. Three super chili peppers I could barely taste. Although I have I want to say 6 Carolina reaper plants beginning to ripen. And pepper X is the new Guinness World Record holder for the hottest chili pepper at an average of 2,693,000 Scovilles.
So, take everything that I say about peppers with a grain of salt and mix and match in your own favorite peppers to fit your own heat preference!
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Variations of Super Chili Peppers Quinoa
I tend to put a lot of peppers in quinoa. It's one of those quick and easy dishes where you can toss in your own favorite ingredients, or whatever you have on hand.
This Super Chili Peppers Quinoa consists of yellow summer squash, red bell pepper, super chili peppers, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika. Although feel free to mix and match your own favorite peppers to adjust the heat level. Super chili peppers are roughly similar to a cayenne peppers (in between Serranos and habaneros). You can also substitute zucchini, sweet potatoes, and any fruits or vegetables that would soften within 45 minutes in a rice cooker.
Add all of the ingredients into a rice cooker. I like to start with the larger vegetables and then add the smaller ingredients. Top with the spices and then add the quinoa and water.This cooks the larger vegetables on the bottom, while dispersing the flavor profiles in the middle. Although with some mixing, this really doesn't matter all that much. Everything will eventually cook together!
Press the cook button on the rice cooker. It should take about 45 minutes to cook.
When the quinoa is fully cooked, let sit for 10 minutes, and then fluff with a wooden spoon and serve.Do not use a fork or other metal utensil. It will scratch off the nonstick surface on the rice cooker. This will leach Teflon into your food and cause future dishes to stick to the bottom.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
While quinoa is not rice, it does cook the same and oftentimes better than rice in a rice cooker. It typically takes 30-45 minutes. Alternatively you can simmer on the stove. Add all of the ingredients to a pot, bring uncovered to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are tender. Turn off heat, add lid, and let sit another 5-10 minutes.
You can also easily substitute other vegetables or types of quinoa. For this recipe I used whatever I had ripening in my garden with royal quinoa. Royal quinoa is primarily cultivated in Bolivia and tends to have larger grains and a fluffier texture. I tend not to notice much of a difference between typical white quinoa and royal quinoa. But it’s always fun to explore! Red quinoa has a more prominent and nuttier flavor and tri-colored is largely the in-between variety.
Any quinoa, or even other grain or legume, like lentils or rice, would substitute in this recipe without changing the ratio.
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