Chilli

Sow indoors in August, somewhere warm. Chilli seed is slow and can take three weeks to appear.

Plant out in November after the last frost, into full sun. A large pot against a warm wall works as well as a bed.

Space them 40cm apart.

Ease off the water a little once the fruit has set. A slightly stressed plant makes hotter chillies.

The plants will survive a mild Melton winter in a sheltered spot and crop again the next year.

Pick green for a milder, grassier heat. Leave them to ripen red for a fuller, sweeter flavour and more heat.

Snip the fruit off with scissors rather than pulling. The branches are brittle.

The more you pick, the more the plant sets.

Pick everything before the first frost.

Drop whole chillies into hot oil at the start of cooking to flavour the base, then lift them out.

Thread a good crop onto string and hang it somewhere airy to dry, then crush into flakes.

Blend fresh chillies with garlic, salt and vinegar for a simple table sauce.

The seeds and the white pith carry most of the heat. Take them out if you want the flavour without it.

Let the fruit ripen fully red and start to wrinkle on the plant.

Slice it open and scrape the seeds onto paper.

Dry them out of direct sun for a week.

Wash your hands well afterwards. Label the jar: chilli varieties cross easily in a shared garden and you will not be able to tell by looking.