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Q. Dave:
We are chile fans from the UK trying to use your (and other) various books from the US. We have a couple of questions:
1. Is there any way of getting canned chipotles or other canned chillies in the UK, and if not, what is the best substitute?
2. How hot is american "chili powder" or "new Mexican chili powder" and often recipes call for enormous amounts which when we use UK chili powder, makes the dishes inedible (we normally have Indian chili powder which is quite hot). Thank you
Gavin
A. Hello Gavin:
Here I am in New Mexico advising a Britisher where to shop in London! I would imagine that you can find canned chipotles or other canned chile in Mexican or West Indian specialty stores around Brixton. Also look for dried chipotles, which can be rehydrated. A substitute for chipotle would be pimenton de la vera, the smoked Spanish pepper.
The amounts are correct for New Mexican chile powder, which are much milder varieties than the Indian chilli powders, which use cayenne. However, if you mix cayenne with paprika, 1 part to 6 approximately, it will be close to the flavor and heat of New Mexican chile powder. Also, look for the French piment d’Espelette powder, which is close to New Mexican for heat and flavor.
Dave DeWitt
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