Bring on the heat with these 6 chilli recipes

4 tips to remember when cooking with chilli:

• For a little less heat, remove the pith and seeds and only use the flesh of the chilli.
• Chillies can be used fresh, dried or powdered, and the level of heat varies – from sweet and mellow to blisteringly hot. It’s good to remember that the smaller the chilli, the hotter.
• Always wash your hands immediately after handling chillies and use cold water rather than hot. Hot water can make your skin absorb the chilli, making it harder to remove.
• Cool down the mouth-burn from a hot chilli dish by drinking cold milk or a eating spoonful of plain yoghurt; they're much more effective than drinking water.

BRAAIED CHICKEN WITH CHILLI, MACADAMIA AND ROSE MARINADE

Chicken straight off the grill is always a crowd-pleaser. This one is exceptional and the secret is in the marinade, which you simply have to prepare in advance to give its enormous flavours time to develop. The sweet perfume of rose and the heat of chilli blend into an instant hit.

Get the recipe here.

BEST-EVER CHILLI POPPERS

Bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with a mixture of mozzarella and cream cheese? Do we have to say more? We didn’t think so.

Get the recipe here.

CHILLI-FRIED DUCK

This recipe may use a whole bag of dried chillies, but it's not blow-your-head-off hot – the chillies merely add flavour, the real heat comes from the sriracha sauce.

Get the recipe here.

MEXICAN CHEESE DIP WITH ROAST CHILLI AND CHORIZO

This indulgent dip features a decadent spicy cheese sauce and chorizo sausage. Once assembled, it's grilled until bubbly and golden, which give it an extra boost of smoky flavour. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Get the recipe here.

CHILLI ROMESCO RUMP WITH ONION RINGS

Raise the stakes and the heat with a spicy Romesco sauce. The sauce involves pickled peppers, almonds, chilli flakes, tomato paste and smoked paprika. Take it from us, this is a weeknight masterpiece.

Get the recipe here.

CEVICHE WITH AVOCADO AND HOME-MADE TORTILLA CHIPS

Get a delicious dose of freshness with this cured fish dish. Plan ahead as it must cure for 1–2 hours. We can guarantee that it's definitely worth the wait.

Get the recipe here.

Discover more recipes featuring the hot stuff here.