Hot chiles like serranos or jalapeños can add depth to a recipe, but they can also set your taste buds on fire. To modify their scorch, follow Cooking Light Test Kitchens professional Sam Brannock's tips for removing a pepper's seeds and veins—the source of capsaicin, the chemical that gives peppers their kick. "You can control the heat by removing as much or as little as you like," Brannock says. Since capsaicin can stick to your hands, be sure to wear gloves.

1. Use a paring knife to cut off the stem and slice the chile in half lengthwise.

2. Next, cut each half lengthwise to create four separate strips.

3. Lay skin side down, and slide the knife against pepper to cut away vein and seeds.

Douse the Fire
Capsaicin is the heat-inducing chemical in the chile peppers found in most hot sauces. The more capsaicin, the hotter the pepper. Some researchers believe that eating hot peppers releases endorphins, the naturally occurring proteins that produce a so-called runner's high. Even if you don't get high off the peppers in hot sauce, you'll get a little nutritional kick in the form of beta-carotene and vitamins A and C.

But if you overdo it with the hot sauce, quell the heat with a sip of milk or a spoonful of yogurt. The casein in dairy products helps break down capsaicin.

To learn more about peppers, check out our Chile Course.