Re: [CH] OOPS..... :-)

CH2060@xemaps.com
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:22:04 -0400 

Jim,
If I correctly sense where you are going with this, I would suggest
some caution, as I once came to some regret [a story ensues].

Many moons ago (before I was a CH), I decided to make an authentic
Hot and Sour soup (I had an excellent recipe).  I also decided I
had to *make* my own chile oil.  I had bought (along with many other
ingredients) a bag of red chile peppers from the Chinese store
(that was located in Chinatown, Philadelphia, PA). I presume that
these were some form of Cayenne.

Not having any guidance in this aspect, I hydrated them, and began
to saute them in some light sesame seed oil.  I sauteed them for a
long time.  Each time that I went back into the kitchen, I coughed and
my eyes watered. Additionally, I was feeling a little chilly from
having to keep the doors and windows open.

Finally, they reached a dark red-brown-black, I turned off the heat,
and went to bed (I was smart enough to have kept the bedroom door
closed.)

For two weeks I could not invite any normal person to my apartment.
It was three to four weeks before things returned to normal in the
kitchen. I had to cleanse the stove top many times with the strongest
agent that I could find.  And after many trips thru the dishwasher,
the pan still gave an interesting 'flavor' to anything I cooked in it.

Oh, by the way, the H&S soup was most excellent -- better than any
restaurant.  I since have made this soup, but I have never again
made my own chile oil.

AndyB

Jim Graham wrote:

>Oops.....
>
>Ok, so...I'm cooking up some chicken.  Before starting the chicken,
>I season up the skillet by sauteeing (sp?) some chopped red onion,
>mushroom, a small bit of rosemary from the garden (one of two
>non-chilli items out there), a minced clove of fresh garlic, etc.,
>and as I'm walking by them, I notice some fresh cayenne I picked
>yesterday (I *LOVE* the flavor of fresh cayenne)....
>
>Anyways, I know better than to do this (anyone NOT know where I'm
>headed at this point?)...but I wasn't thinking, and chopped up the
>cayenne and dropped 'em straight into a very hot skillet.  About
>30 minutes later, my lungs started working again.  As the owner of
>a local Indian establishment said to me a few months ago (regarding
>the heat level we both like our curry/vindaloo at), "We're not happy
>unless the cook is coughing...."  Well tonight, I was the cook, and
>I was definitely coughing.  And after all that, I ate a few bites of
>chicken and some of the corn, and I had to put the rest in the fridge
>for another meal or two (or three---this is one BIG chicken breast).
>
>So, here's the question:  does anyone know where (in the US) one
>can find a charcoal-filtered gas mask or something similar for
>times when I do things like that that I know better than to do,
>but for some reason end up doing anyways?
>
>Another question....  What is it about heat + cap. that causes it
>to launch a wave of pain directly at your lungs like that?
>
>Later,
>   --jim
>  
>