Chile Skills
Dried chiles are ingredients, not a heat-ranking contest. Learn their condition, aroma, preparation, and measured puree yield before changing a recipe around them. Ventilation, gloves when useful, and careful blending make the work calmer. Fresh chile sauces are perishable unless a tested preservation recipe says otherwise.
Chile Skills
How to Use Dried Chiles: Toast, Soak, and Blend
To use dried Mexican chiles, choose flexible pods without mould, wipe them clean, remove stems and most seeds, and toast briefly in a dry skillet only.