Ingredient: Red pepper flakes

Red pepper flakes are made from a mix of peppers from the capsicum annum family, like jalapeno, bell, Fresno, and Anaheim peppers. But the most commonly used pepper for crushed red pepper flakes is the cayenne pepper taking up the majority of the share with a mix of other peppers depending on the brand. Besides containing a blend of peppers, what makes red pepper flakes stand out is the lighter-colores seeds mixed with the dried red flesh of the peppers that add a serious kick of heat. The peppers that become crushed red pepper flakes are dried in an industrial oven, then they are pulverized, seeds and all, before being dumped into plastic containers to be distributed. If you happen to have some dried pepper flakes in your pantry, it’s effortless to make your homemade pepper flakes. Just take a couple of dried peppers, remove their stems, then give them a quick whirl in your food processor, and your homemade red pepper flakes are ready. Just keep in mind that different peppers have different heat levels, and you are free to use the ones you prefer according to your taste. Contrary to single-type of pepper flakes such as chile flakes, red pepper flakes don’t have a secondary flavor note; it is a one-dimensional flavor, used only to achieve heat.