Both sweet peppers and hot peppers can be cooked in the same way and technique, but there are some key differences that you should pay attention to in terms of cooking time and preparation. Each cooking method will produce a unique texture and taste, so try several different cooking methods before deciding which one you like best.
Ingredients
For about 1 cup (250 ml) of a serving of paprika
- 1 medium bell pepper or 2-3 small bell peppers
- Olive oil or cooking spray
- Water
Step
Method 1 of 6: Baking
Step 1. Preheat the oven or stove
You can roast all kinds of peppers in either the stove or the oven. However, large peppers are usually roasted in a preheated oven to 218 degrees Celsius, while small bell peppers are roasted in a preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Whichever utensil you choose, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil.
- If you're using a stove that has "high" and "low" temperature options, preheat it to the "high" temperature.
Step 2. Chop the peppers or leave them whole
Small bell peppers should be left whole, while large bell peppers can be cut into halves or quarters to speed up the cooking process.
Place the chopped peppers on the baking sheet you prepared, pointing the cut side down
Step 3. Coat the surface of the peppers with cooking spray
Spray the entire surface of the peppers with cooking spray, or apply a small amount of olive oil to the skin. Cooking spray or oil is provided to prevent the peppers from sticking to the aluminum foil or baking sheet when they are ready to be removed.
Step 4. Cook until done
The exact cooking time required will vary depending on the size of the peppers and the cooking method you use. However, usually, large bell peppers will be cooked in the oven after 20-25 minutes, while small bell peppers will be cooked after baking in the oven for 5-10 minutes on each side.
- Turn the peppers every few moments so that the skin on all sides cooks evenly.
- When ripe, the skin of the peppers will appear darker and more bubbly.
Step 5. Serve warm
Wrap the peppers in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes, or until they are cool enough to touch with your hands. After that, unwrap the aluminum foil and use it in a recipe, or enjoy it to your liking.
Before serving, peel off the skin of the peppers with your fingers. If you let the peppers cool in the aluminum foil, the skin should be easy to peel off
Method 2 of 6: Burning
Step 1. Preheat the fireplace
Heat a gas or charcoal fireplace over medium heat.
- Put the charcoal in the fireplace, spread it all over, turn on the fire, then wait until the fire goes out and a white ash layer forms on the surface of the charcoal. The peppers will be placed right on the fire.
- If using a gas fireplace, preheat it over high heat, before turning it down to medium. Again, the peppers will be placed right over the heat.
Step 2. Apply oil to the surface of the peppers
Coat the entire surface of the peppers with olive oil or cooking spray. Just like the previous method, this is done to prevent the peppers from sticking. Olive oil will also add to the delicious taste of the peppers. Peppers should be roasted whole and not cut into pieces.
Step 3. Grill the whole side of the peppers
Place the peppers you prepared on the stove, going back and forth as you burn them until they cook evenly. Large peppers take 25-30 minutes to fully ripen. Smaller bell peppers usually take between 8 and 12 minutes to ripen.
If you are using a charcoal fireplace, leave it open. But if you're using a gas fireplace, put the lid on
Step 4. Let the peppers sit for a while before serving
Remove the peppers from the heat, and wrap them in aluminum foil. Let the temperature drop slowly for about 15 minutes, until it's cool enough to hold in your hands.
If you let the peppers cool in aluminum foil, you should be able to peel the crispy skin off easily with your fingers, making the meat inside of the peppers easier to serve
Method 3 of 6: Saute
Step 1. Heat some oil in a frying pan
Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
Step 2. Chop the peppers
You should cut the peppers into rings, sheets, or bite-sized pieces before sautéing them. Generally, hot peppers are cut into rings, while sweet peppers are cut into strips or the size of one swallow.
Note that the size of the peppers will determine the cooking time. Large, sheet-sized peppers, over 2.5 cm long may need to cook a minute or two longer than smaller ring-shaped bell peppers and pieces smaller than 2.5 cm
Step 3. Cook peppers in hot oil
Place the peppers in the hot oil and cook, stirring, for about 4-7 minutes, or until soft but still crunchy.
You'll need to stir the peppers frequently when sautéing them. Do not let the skin or flesh of the peppers burn. If the peppers are left on the pan for too long, they will likely scorch
Step 4. Use according to your taste
Stir-fried peppers are usually cooked with the other ingredients, however, you can still enjoy them on their own, or add them to recipes that call for cooked peppers.
To serve as a side dish or light lunch, you can sauté the peppers with rice and add your favorite sauce--sweet soy sauce, Italian sauce, etc
Method 4 of 6: Boiling
Step 1. Bring some water to a boil
Pour water into a large frying pan that is deep enough to be 2.5-5 cm high. Heat on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the water starts to boil, add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of salt.
This salt will help bring out the peppers' flavor, but adding salt before the water boils will make you have to cook it longer before it boils
Step 2. Cut the peppers into rings or sheets
If you are cooking small hot peppers, cut them into rings. Meanwhile, for large bell peppers, cut them into rings or sheets.
Note that larger pieces of peppers take longer to cook than smaller pieces. No matter how large your pepper slices are, try to make them uniform in size
Step 3. Cook the peppers in boiling water
Add the peppers to the boiling water and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until they are soft and crunchy.
Ideally, ripe peppers will still taste a little crunchy, but with a much softer flesh than raw peppers
Step 4. Serve while warm
You can enjoy the peppers on their own, or add them to recipes that call for pre-cooked peppers.
Method 5 of 6: Steaming
Step 1. Bring water to a boil in a pot
Fill the bottom of the pot with 2.5 cm of water. Place a strainer over the top, making sure it doesn't touch the water, then bring the water to a boil over high heat.
If you don't have a frying pan, use a large saucepan and a wire strainer instead. You just need to make sure the strainer goes into the pan but doesn't touch the bottom. Also make sure the pan can still be closed tightly after the filter has entered it
Step 2. Chop the peppers
Cut small bell peppers into rings, and large bell peppers into rings or sheets.
Try to make the pepper slices uniform in size so they cook evenly
Step 3. Steam the peppers until they are soft but still crunchy
Put the peppers in a colander in the pan. Cover the pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
The lid of the pan should be attached during steaming, so that the steam that forms does not escape. If you open the lid too often, the moisture will escape, which will take longer to cook the peppers
Step 4. Serve warm
Remove the peppers from the pan, and enjoy them as they are, or use them in recipes that call for cooked peppers.
Method 6 of 6: Using the Microwave
Step 1. Chop the peppers
Cut the peppers into rings, sheets, or one-swallow size. Small hot peppers are usually cut into rings, but larger peppers can be cut into any of the above options.
Be sure to make uniformly sized cuts. If they are different sizes, the larger pieces of pepper will take longer to ripen, whereas the smaller pieces will be overcooked or even overcooked
Step 2. Place the chopped peppers in a microwave-safe dish filled with a small amount of water
Place the chopped peppers in a microwave-safe dish and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water, until the bottom of the dish is completely coated with the water, but not completely covered by the peppers.
Step 3. Microwave the peppers until they are soft but still crunchy
Cover the dish and microwave on high for 90 seconds to 2 minutes for each cup (250 ml) of bell pepper. Stir only once during cooking.
Part of the cooking process is produced by steam trapped in the dish, so it must be covered to prevent steam from escaping
Step 4. Serve warm
Discard any remaining water and enjoy the peppers on their own or serve with other dishes.
Tips
- Bell peppers are usually sweet or spicy, so think carefully about the flavor you want before buying. In general, large peppers tend to be sweeter, while small bell peppers tend to be spicier.
- Good peppers have a firm texture and are bright in color.
- All peppers should be washed under running water and dried with paper towels before cooking.
- To try the spicy peppers, cut off the ends slightly and use a fork to stick them to your tongue. You should be able to taste the spiciness of the small pieces of pepper.
- For sweet peppers, you should remove the membrane and seeds first.
- For hot peppers, remove the membrane and seeds if you want to reduce the intensity of the flavor.
