If I remove the seeds from chiles...

Question

If I remove the seeds from chiles for my Mexican dishes, will this reduce the spiciness?

Answer

The spiciness comes from capsaicin. Most of the capsaicin is located in the interior tissue of the pepper, where the seeds are attached. Peppers can be made considerably less spicy by slicing in half and scraping out the seeds and membranes with a spoon.