It all came out just fine, if a little spicy. (Well, maybe a lot spicy.) But quite yummy.
About 3 hours later while washing the dishes in hot water, Cara started to notice that her right hand was beginning to smart. But its pretty dry here in Beijing so chapped and sore hands are nothing special. Then the irritation started to get worse and fingers started to swell a little. um....
Those crazy chilies. As many of you probably already now, chilies contain something called capsaicin that will burn skin. If the skin is already irritated, washing just spreads the stuff. So what do you do?
"In a little bowl add 1 part bleach to 5 parts water and just dip your handsBleach? My mom always told me not to play with bleach and I am pretty sure that sticking my hand in a bowl of it counts as playing. Still, we had to try something. Turns out that it works all right, though if you thought your hands were dry before....
quickly, but don't soak your hands in this solution or it may irritate your
skin," says Miss Vickie.
5 comments:
Ow. Ow ow.
Next time you might try soaking your hand in milk for a less caustic approach. I believe the casein in the milk surround and wash away the capsaicin in peppers. Same goes for consumption of milk after eating a burning chile.
I love the Food Network.
And I've heard that sugar will help disolve the oil in chili peppers (which makes it stick to your skin). Good thing you didn't rub your eyes with those hands.
Ever cut habanero's for too-hot salsa then, after you thought you washed your hands well, went to the bathroom? You thought your hands were bad...
Milk works. Because capsasin is an oily substance I was also told that cleaners for oily skin (stridex type stuff) would work. I was also told grease-removing dish washing soap works. It doesn't. Trust me.
I guessed that our friends would have useful (if painful) insights. Next time we will go with milk - much nicer.
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