​Adding spices to enhance the flavor of foods is a tradition associated

with African foodways. The hot malagueta pepper was one of the
ingredients consumed by the enslaved Africans as they traveled across
the Atlantic. All peppers are rich in fiber and vitamins A, C, and K,
which prevent cell  damage and support immune functions. Hot pepper,
however, contains the antioxidant capsaicin, which acts on the pain
receptors in the mouth to burn on contact. Despite the initial pain,
eating hot peppers has been linked to a variety of health benefits-
including weight loss, lowering blood pressure, and clearing the
sinuses.



The History Makers Featured Audio Clip:          This is a clip from John Watson, Biochemist and biochemistry professor, on his favorite food.



HEALTHY RECIPE FOR HOT PEPPERS

This is a family recipe given to us by one of our classmates, Margaret George. We love it and we think you will too!



​Ingredients:

 

Organically grown habanero and scotch bonnet peppers (Two hottest peppers on the Scoville scale- which evaluates the pungency of different varieties of pepper)
1 green (unripe) mango peeled and diced
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 tsp. table salt
Distilled rice vinegar (selected because it is a strong vinegar with light flavor, it doesn’t affect the taste of sauce)
Spicy Grey Poupon mustard
 

Instructions:

 

Rinse peppers and remove all stems. Add appx. 1 cup of peppers to a blender with a little mango, a little bit of vinegar, mustard, garlic and a touch of salt, blend until smooth. Repeat processes until all ingredients are used up and sauce is smooth and not watery (it should have a tomato pasta sauce texture).



Here is a YouTube Video that shows a demonstration for cooking a variation of a healthier hot pepper sauce. Enjoy!



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