Chilli Poppers

Chilli Poppers are little bites of addictive, spicy, savoury joy. This recipe makes 12,  but you can easily adapt it to make as many as you want. If your chillies are a little too lava-like in heat, there is a handy tip at the end to help tame them. 

What you need:  

12 jalapeno peppers

12 slices bacon

About a cupful of cream cheese, softened. (You can use ½ cup of cream cheese mixed with ½ of sharp cheddar if you love some extra cheesy goodness)

What to do: 

Cut the top off the chillies, and carefully deseed them.

Fill the jalapenos with the cream cheese (or cheese mixture).

Wrap each one in a slice of bacon. A toothpick will help secure it or make sure the bacon end is tucked under when putting it on the braai grill.

Braai and turn often until the bacon is crispy all over.

Variations:

 Instead of cream cheese, use a mixture of grated cheddar and mozzarella. This makes a yummy blend of oozy cheesy goodness. A light dusting of garlic powder adds depth to the flavour.

 If your chillies are huge, cut them lengthwise, then stuff and wrap as before. They are supposed to be delicious snack sizes, not whole meals.

Bake in the oven - put the poppers on a baking tray to prevent messy drips. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes. The chillies will be juicy and the bacon crispy.

 Handy Tip:

If your chillies are nuclear-intense, there is a way to tame them into a gentler heat! The heat comes from capsaicin. Cut and deseed the chillies, and pop them into a jar with half water and half vinegar. After a couple of hours, you will notice they are less burny. For the seriously evil ones, 24 hours in the jar will make them edible. The burn will not completely go away, but they will be less fiery the longer they soak.

Interesting Info:

Jalapenos, or more correctly, Jalapeños, are spicy chilli peppers that can be green or red. They are moderately spicy, although some are definitely hotter than others.

They are very popular round the world, and are famously associated with Mexican food.

But did you know that they are super healthy too?

They are :

Full of vitamins (especially high in Vitamins C and B6. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radical damage and helps keep your skin firm and healthy), 

High in minerals,

High in fibre and 

Low in calories.

All that and tasty too!