All About Chile Peppers

Though some experts dispute the wisdom of calling chiles ‘peppers’, there’s no disagreement about what they add to Mexican food: great taste and a lot of Za Za zZzing!

Chiles are now grown in many countries around the globe. India is one of the world’s largest producers today, growing a million tons per year, thats right India my friend (as I speak in my corny Indian accent). But, while the chiles grown in Mexico may be a small percentage of the total (about 15%), there flavor is among the best in the world.

Jalapeño varieties account for about half the total acreage planted. They give a well known bite to a dish with a flavor that far outlasts the sting. There’s simply no substitute for this yellow-green fruit rated between 3-6 thousand on the SHU scale. Just so you know, the Scoville(SHU) scale measures the ‘zing’ of chile peppers. In pure form, the chemical capsaicin(the chemical that gives it the Spice!) is rated 16 million.

Anchos and Serranos together account for a little over half of the remainder of Mexico’s chile acreage. The Ancho from Poblano matures to a deep red that mirrors the rich flavor within. Another variety develops to a rich brown. Serrano, by contrast, is picked green to make a great sauce. Pasilla is another chile pepper that is a popular ingredient to a fine mole.

Tabasco chiles are well known, thanks to the well known hot sauce. In Mexico a few of these are grown in every garden in Veracruz(located on the Eastern Gulf) and the native state Tabasco that gives the chile its name.

The Guajillo-puya is also used to make a great many hot sauces, thanks to its rich flavor and ample capsaicin concentration. But the champion for heat…-insert drum roll here- has to be the Habañero. Habañero is produced at about 3% of the volume of jalapeños, which is not too much, but they make up for it by ranking at 300,000 SHU. Now, that’s HHHot!

And Vitamins too!! Yes,Chile peppers are chock full of beneficial vitamins. They contain twice as much percentage wise as carrots and five times as much as tomatoes. They’re rich in vitamin A and supply ample vitamin B6. Time to toss out those Flinstones.

Chile peppers, like many colored fruits… wait did you say fruit? Yes, chili peppers are a fruit, not a veggie. They are rich in carotene’s and other phytochemicals. The nutrition value of these substances is a hot area of research. But scientific evidence already strongly suggests they help reduce cell damage thanks to their anti-oxidant properties, and that helps keep the cardiovascular system in top shape.

But whether you enjoy chile peppers for their great taste, to test your heat resistance, or just because you want to eat healthy, you don’t have to compromise. With one ingredient you can have it all.. La Chili Pepper!!

If you enjoyed my article on La Chili, and you feel like getting started in the kitchen I highly recommend taking a look at Salsas That Cook: Using Classic Salsas to Enliven Our Favourite Dishes . Rick has countless delicious recipes listed in side that utilize chili’s, making it a red Hot book to have in the kitchen.