Is Serrano an acceptable substitute for jalapeno I am making butter chicken tonight. My recipe calls for 2 jalapenos, but the store was out and I am too cranky to go across town to another store. Can I substitute a Serrano pepper? I believe Serrano are quite a bit hotter, and I don't want to burn everyone's mouths.
Jalapenos vary widely in heat, but, yes, Serrano is usually thought of as a bit hotter.  If it were me, I would use one.  I would also remove the seeds and the internal membranes to cut the heat further.  Maybe even start with 1/2...you can always add more.