Bell pepper

Put it whole under a hot grill or over a flame, turning until the skin is blackened all over, about 10–15 minutes. Cover it for 10 minutes to steam, then peel off the skin and remove the seeds; the soft flesh is ready for salads, sandwiches or dips.

No: the skin is edible and is usually left on for roasting in pieces, stir-fries and stuffed peppers. Peel it after charring only when you want a softer texture, such as for a smooth sauce.

Choose one that feels heavy for its size, with taut, glossy skin and a firm green stem. Avoid peppers with soft spots, wrinkles or mould around the stem.

Keep them dry and unwashed in the fridge’s vegetable drawer, ideally in a loosely closed bag; use them within about a week for the best crispness. Cut pepper should be covered and refrigerated, then used within a few days.

They work raw in salads and strips for dipping, or cooked in fajitas, kebabs, pasta sauces and ratatouille. For stuffed peppers, fill halved peppers with cooked rice, lentils or minced meat and bake at 190 °C for about 30–40 minutes, until tender.

Yes. Rinse them, cut away the stem, seeds and pale inner ribs, then slice or dice the crisp flesh; raw strips are handy for lunchboxes and dips.

Yes; use the same amount, but expect a different flavour. Green peppers taste more grassy and slightly bitter, while red, orange and yellow ones are generally sweeter; red bell pepper has 32 kcal per 100 g, compared with 22 kcal in green bell pepper.

Both belong to the Capsicum family, but bell peppers are bred to be mild and have broad, hollow fruit, while chillies are often pungent. The heat in chillies comes mainly from capsaicin, which bell peppers contain little to none of.