Put the Fire Out Of Jalapenos

As was previously mentioned in Capsaicin Corner, the capsaicin in chile peppers lives in abundance in the membranes and seeds. When I say membrances, I'm referring to what botanists call the placenta. It's the light-colored membrane on the interior of the chile pepper from which the seeds grow.

If you want the flavor of the pepper, but you don't want it so hot, there is a way you can put that fire out without decreasing the overall number of peppers you want to use. Simply remove the seeds and membrane. And here's the way to do it.

1. Slice the Pepper in half lengthwise
2. Scrape out any seeds.
3. Lay the pepper out membrane side up, and press down with your blade as you run it along the pepper, cutting out the membrane. See pic below.