A squirt of lime provides the citrus spark to release their heat. Cooking chile peppers enhances the sweet and savory flavor components and makes for a more robust taste. But the skin of a chile becomes tough with cooking, while the flesh underneath softens. Removing the skin lets the depth and richness of flavor shine through. Capsaicin is insoluble in water, which makes it tough to douse when you've bitten into too much heat.
All chiles begin green, then mature to their final color.
Just about all will ripen to a full red. Fully ripe chiles generally have flesh the same color as their skin. The exceptions are purple, black, and chocolate-colored varieties, which should be used raw because cooking causes color loss. Blister the chile's skin to enhance flavor and make it easy to peel. There's more than one way to skin a chile.