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Whether the food you’re eating belongs to India, China, Italy, Brazil or Mexico, one vegetable will definitely make an appearance on the plate - capsicum. All capsicums can be eaten raw, but they also taste good when cooked. While capsicum is a vegetable, it is technically the fruit of a plant. Also known as bell pepper, capsicum comes in four different colours.
The green variety, which is very popular in Indian cuisine, is actually raw capsicum. Once this capsicum ripens, it can turn yellow, orange or red in colour. The level of pungency also varies according to the colour, with the green capsicum being the most pungent one and the red capsicum as the mildest (and also the sweetest).
Did you know?
Since capsicum comes from the same plant species as chillies or chilli peppers, they too have capsaicin. However, capsaicin in capsicum is located in the placental tissues (the part which holds the seeds) and isn’t found in other parts of the vegetable. This is the reason why capsicum is not as spicy as its close cousin, the chilli pepper.
Capsicum originated in Central and South America, where varieties of capsicum have been in use for centuries in traditional cuisines and medicine. The Spanish and Portuguese conquerors like Christopher Columbus took it to Europe, from where its use spread to the rest of the world. Like most vegetables, capsicum is a rich source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and has a number of health benefits.
Some basic facts about capsicum:
- Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
- Family: Solanaceae
- Common name: Capsicum, Bell peppers
- Parts used: Skin and flesh
- Native region and geographical distribution: Although capsicum originated in South America, it is now grown all over the world. Vietnam is the world’s largest capsicum producer, followed by Indonesia, Brazil, India, Bulgaria and Sri Lanka.
- Interesting facts: You can tell if a capsicum is male or female by looking at the number of bumps at its bottom. The ones with three bumps are male and have very little or no seeds inside. The ones with four bumps are female, have many seeds, and are therefore heavier. Female capsicums are also sweeter, and so they taste better when consumed raw.
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