Banana Pepper Glossary |Health Benefits, Nutritional Information + Recipes with Banana Pepper

Also Known As
Sweet Peppers

Description
Banana Peppers are a member of the chilli pepper family. It is a long, tapered and moderately hot pepper. It comes in various colours like red, orange and yellow. As with most peppers, the hotness / pungency of the pepper will depend on the maturity of the pepper. The colour of the pepper changes from pale yellow to orange as they mature/ ripens. The younger ones won't be as sweet as the ripest ones.

Chopped banana pepper

Place the banana pepper on a chopping board and cut off the stem. Slit it lengthwise from the centre. Discard the seeds and chop vertically as finely as required. Chopped banana peppers are used in flavoured breads, stews, casseroles etc.

How to select
Banana pepper's outer skin should non wrinkled and firm. Look for stems which are dark green and fresh. Avoid peppers which have spots, cuts or blemishes. Choose from various colours- red, orange and yellow.

Culinary Uses
· Slit banana pepper from the centre without cutting through the stem. Discard the seeds and stuff with veggies or a cottage cheese or grated cheese and herbs and bake in the oven. You may alternatively pan fry or grill.
· Use banana peppers in stews, roasts, casseroles etc.
· Combine unripe banana peppers with tomato sauce etc to make hot sauces as desired.
· Banana peppers can be pickled in a herb and brine solution. Use pickled peppers as toppings for pizzas etc.
· Finely chop banana pepper and saute with onions, garlic and herbs. Use in bread dough to make banana pepper herb bread. This flavoured bread will go very well just by itself or with flavoured/ herbed butters/ spreads.

How to store
Store banana peppers in a zip lock bag or freeze bags and store in the refrigerator.

Health Benefits
· It is a good source of Vitamin C which is an anti oxidant and has anti inflammatory properties.
· It is a good source of Vitamin A which also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.

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