How to make peppadew oil

How to make peppadew oil is an option for those who love the flavour of chilis but without the hefty kick.

Whenever looking at a new recipe consider these two factors.

1. Does it score high on nutrition?
2. Does it warrant the extra time taken to achieve that incredible flavour you are seeking?

The first should be non-negotiable. Cooking anything that is going to detract from wellness, set you on the path to pain and create the need for medication in the future makes no sense.

This sauce gets only a moderate thumbs up. All the ingredients are excellent but heating the olive oil for half an hour to extract the flavours from the spices is questionable.

If you love to cook then knowing how to make peppadew oil is worth a consideration; personally I doubt I'll be doing this too often.

We don't recommend using solvent-extracted vegetable oils. Whilst linoleic acid for example is an essential fat, research reports that a large amount of omega 6 is strongly associated with inflammation and pain. Cold pressed from the olive is another story.

• Linoleic acid in soybean and sunflower oil promotes inflammation
  

Placing the strainer over the peppadews will stop any spattering of the hot oil as you pour it in.

So now you understand how to make peppadew oil. Allow the mixture to cool and then keep it in the fridge. It will solidify so portions need to be brought to room temperature before use.

There are umpteen ways to use your heated peppadew oil; pour a teaspoon over eggs, enjoy it on brown rice to give it some flavour or simply add it to your stews. I like it with braised new potatoes.

This green mealie risotto is not terribly exciting; pouring this spicy peppadew oil over the brown rice certainly beefs up the flavour.

Grow your own peppadews

For those who enjoy growing their own food as well as cooking, peppadews are not difficult; but it's several months before they start to bear. Plant the seeds in shallow drills in a box placed in a warm spot in early spring.

Plant the seedlings out in well-composted soil once they are about 5cm high; at least half a metre apart. They will need to be staked and a trellis of sorts is worth considering; if the branches, heavy in fruit fall to the ground they will break and not ripen properly.

• Growing peppadews
  

Many coloured foods

There is strong research that those enjoying 7 or more coloured foods every day have a massive 35% lower all-cause of death. It's all about the phytonutrients, in this instance the capsaicin in peppadews; it has the proven property of promoting the normal death of cells known as aptosis.

Cancer cells have figured out a way to get around normal aptosis; and just keep on growing. Enjoying chilis rich in capsaicin on a regular basis, even daily is one way to help escape this misery.

• Capsaicin health benefits
• Red foods for better health
  

Herbs and spices

Herbs and spices have long been known to contain many hugely beneficial phytonutrients. They not only make our food more interesting but also help improve wellness.

For example the coumarin in cinnamon is a natural blood-thinner; it helps prevent clots from forming. It also improves the insulin sensitivity of our cells ameliorating raised serum glucose and diabetes.

• Cinnamon and diabetes
  

Likewise cloves, thyme and black pepper each have their own unique benefits. The trick is to enjoy small amounts of these herbs and spices on a regular basis.

Olive oil

Yes of course this really should be called peppadew-flavoured olive oil.

There is much confusion about the role of fats in the human diet but nutritionists, scientists and doctors all agree that olive oil is queen of the table; along with the avocado. Both are fruits.

Cold-pressed seed oils are excellent; if you can find them. It's well nigh impossible.

Whilst linoleic acid is an essential fat, the case is steadily being built up against the trend to use very large amounts of sunflower and soybean oil in our cooking and baked goods. Excess omega-6 is highly inflammatory in the body.

We should keep solvent-extracted oils to a minimum.

So there remains much contradictory advice on replacing animal fats like butter with seed oils and margarine. My own opinion is that it is entirely dependent whatever else we are eating; the meat and potatoes man is highly at risk.

• Butter is back
  

Scientists are arguing strongly against pastries using these solvent-extracted oils and artificial sweeteners; coupled with cake flour they make a toxic, fattening ultra processed food.

• Artificial sweeteners cause weight gain
  

Dried chili powder

Use your own options when deciding how to make peppadew oil.

• How to dry peppers

Drying peppers takes a lot of time and electrical energy; it does not make a satisfactory fit with our philosophy of good food, made fast. Exposure to air certainly must cause oxidation of the important micronutrients like capsaicin. Freezing an excess is far simpler and more sensible.

• How to preserve peppers
  

How to make peppadew oil

How to make peppadew oil is an infusion of spices to preserve their nutrients.

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