When should chillies be harvested?

Question: How can you recognise when chillies are ripe and can be harvested?

Answer: Chillies should always be harvested when they are ripe, as green chillies usually taste slightly bitter. Jalapenos on the other hand, also taste delicious when they are green, which is why they are often found in their green form. Likewise, most of the heat (Capsaicin) can be found in fully ripe chillies. Most chillies ripen from green to red. They are therefore ripe when the pods are red. It is more difficult with the varieties that ripen from green to black to purple or from green to orange to red. For this reason, you should always find out what the ripe colour of the chillies should be. If in doubt, you could try an unripened chili. If it tastes good, then there is nothing to prevent you eating it. Fully ripened chillies are clearly tastier and mostly sweeter and more flavourful than those that are harvested too early.