The Mexicans have a vast arsenal of chillies, each with its own character and uses. Jalapeños are perhaps the best-known kind over here, in their slightly sweet incarnation in jars found in most supermarkets. In their natural form they are torpedo-shaped, thick and hot. They can be put into salsas, or sliced and used to top nachos and pizzas. Chilli heat is calculated on the Scoville Scale, which measures how much of the chemical capsaicin they contain. Bell peppers score zero while the apocalyptic red savin habañero has recorded a whopping 577,000. In this context, jalapeños are relatively mild at up to 10,000, but still more than hot enough to give you a funny turn. As with all chillies, the heat is concentrated in the seeds, so remove them to increase your chances of survival.