[Yana]

As is my want, I often buy seeds because I like the look of the picture on the packet. So it was with Numex Chillies.
Now I have three rather large, healthy plants with loads of little cone shaped fruits varying in colour from pale yellow, through mauve to red.
What colour are the 'ripe' chillies and do I simply use them whole? 

[Baldy]

I believe i grew them once more for ornament than cooking. They go purple -> yellow -> orange -> red don't they? As they are quite smaall you could use them whole in curries to give an occasional 'hit' mouthful?  :blink:

I'm infusing some chilli vodka at the moment - and small chillies might have been a good idea here (as I'm too mean to give away large bottles of the stuff as presents - and small bottles don't accomodate big chillis very easily throught the necks...)

Cheers,
Balders

[mumofstig]

as with any chillies add a tiny piece to see how hot it is before you use it..............it's easy to add more if the dish isn't hot enough.

I do like chilli but really wouldn't like to find a 'surprise whole one' in food, if they were really hot 

the scoville heat rating for Numex says it is as hot as a cayenne pepper
http://www.sowchillies.co.uk/advice/scoville-scale/