CHILIES
Chile or chili or chili pepper, is native to Mexico and Central America. Chili peppers stimulate with their pungent taste and attractive smell. They are consumed cooked, raw, fried, sliced, toasted or "tatemado", crushed, etc. They are an essential part of all Mexican meals. Its most common preparation is in sauce to be enjoyed, to the taste of each one, at meals. Its spicy flavor is due to a substance called Capsaicin that causes a level of spiciness depending on its concentration.
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ANCHO
1,000-2,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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Green POBLANO chili when ripe becomes an ANCHO chili. The Ancho chili is one of the most used chilies in Mexican cuisine due to its versatility. It gives a touch of reddish color to the different stews. It is used as a vegetable when fresh, but its use as a condiment is more frequent. Characteristics: good size, triangular shape, dark wine and ocher color, spicy flavor.
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CHILACA
1,500-2,500 SPICINESS UNITS
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CHILACA chili is also known as "Chile Cuernillo" or "Elephant's tusk" or "Chile to shred" depending on the area where it is used. It is prepared cut into strips, roasted, or shredded to be used in regional dishes. It is preferably used fresh. It has an elongated shape, sometimes it is twisted and somewhat flattened. It can be extremely spicy, its color is blackish green when fresh and turns black when ripe, taking the name PASILLA.
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CHILPOTLE
3,000-10,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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CHILPOTLE chili belongs to the ripe jalapeño peppers of the Oaxacan region. It is deep red. Its greatest characteristic comes from the drying process that gives it a smoky, spicy and somewhat sweet flavor. It is used as a condiment in the preparation of broths and sauces. Chilpotle has varieties such as "Rallado", "Meco" and "Acorchado".
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GUAJILLO
2,000-4,000 SPICINESS UNITS
GUAJILLO chili is also known as "Puya" and used for stews, hot sauces and marinades. It is never cooked alone but accompanied by other chilies. There are three varieties of Guajillo: "Guajillo ancho" which is very mild and not spicy; "Guajillo Chico" which is moderately spicy and "Puya Guajillo" which is very spicy. When the Guajillo dries it is called MIRASOL. The Guajillo is triangular and reddish brown in color and its spicy flavor increases when the size of the chili gets smaller.
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JALAPEÑO
3,500-8,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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JALAPEÑO chili is the tastiest and most famous chili in the world, originating from Jalapa, Veracruz. This chili is characteristic for maintaining its spicy properties despite the heat and cold food. It can be used in many dishes by maintaining the balance between flavor and texture. It can be sliced or cooked with tomato or tomato sauces and also to fill. In its dry version it is called CHILPOTLE which has a smoky and sweet texture. Its shape is conical and elongated but rounded at the end. It has a dark green color like vegetables and when ripe it turns red and has a sweet taste. Its skin is thick, shiny and aromatic. Its veins and seeds are spicy but its itching is reduced by removing the seeds.
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MULATO
1,000-1,500 SPICINESS UNITS
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MULATO chili is also known as "Black" as a dry chili from the POBLANO, and is the most suitable for the preparation of moles, which in the case of the "Mole Poblano" gives it its characteristic flavor. It is also present in enchiladas. It has a flavor similar to chocolate and somewhat spicy, which makes it unique. The Mulato is wine colored almost black.
PASILLA
1,000-2,500 SPICINESS UNITS
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Fresh CHILACA chili when ripe is called PASILLA because of its wrinkled raisin appearance, its dark red color and its spicy flavor. The pasilla chili is frequently used for the preparation of different sauces, such as the sauce that bears its name "Pasilla chili sauce".
PIQUIN
30,000-60,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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PIQUIN is one of the smallest chili peppers, and has a different name depending on the area where it was collected, for example: "Chile from Chiapas".
POBLANO
1,000-2,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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POBLANO chili is used fresh and is of excellent quality. It presents a bright dark green color when fresh and when ripe it acquires a scarlet color and transforms into ANCHO. It is one of the medium chiles in terms of heat. Its size is large with a conical shape and somewhat flattened. It is the most cultivated in Mexico and is chosen to fill "Chiles Rellenos" and the famous "Chiles en Nogada". This is also used in the preparation of sauces such as "Crepe de Huitlacoche" and other dishes.
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SERRANO or VERDE
8,000-23,000 SPICINESS UNITS
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SERRANO or VERDE (green) chili is native to the mountainous areas and belongs to the traditional chiles. It is generally used green and raw, chopped for the preparation of different sauces such as guacamole; cooked for the preparation of sauce such as the cooked green sauce or the whole ranchera as an accompaniment to rice. When dry it turns red and is consumed as a powder. It is small in size; its shape is elongated and conical with a blunt and rounded tip. Its color is dark green. Its skin is smooth, thick and consistent. The flavor is spicy and full-bodied. "Chiles toreados" are green chilies fried in oil.
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