Title: Chile Pepper Descriptions
Categories: Info
Yield: 1 Text

CHILI:

Chilies are native to the Americas. They have been known in North America for some time but are said to have traveled north by a circuitous route; apparently they found their way from Mexico to the Western world with Christopher Columbus, then to the East and finally back to North America. New strains of chilies are developed frequently, bred for hardiness, sweetness, hotness and so forth. But chilies are full of surprises; two chilies picked from the same plant may vary widely in hotness.

To quench the fire of a too-spicy mouthful, do not reach for a water glass. Water will only spread the capsicum (the compound that our tongues register as "hot") around. Instead, take a large mouthful of something starchy; corn chips, beans, bread or rice. Sometimes finding fresh chilies is difficult. This probably isn't a question of distribution, but of perishability. Canned and dried chilies are usually available.

Spelling The word "chile" is both an adjective and a noun referring to the plant and pod of a hot pepper, as in "chile pepper" (singular) and "hot chilies" (plural). On the other hand, "chili" or "chilli" is a stew-like mixture. "Chili powder" is a spice blend used to make chili; it usually contains a combination of dried ground New Mexican, Anaheim or Cayenne chile peppers, as well as garlic, cumin and other spices.

ANAHEIM CHILIES: (California Green Chilies) are slim between five and eight inches long and of various light shades of green. these mildly hot chilies are sometimes twisted in appearance. They are occasionally stuffed, but their flesh is thin and more fragile than that of the poblano chilies. The Anaheims cultivated in New Mexico-- where the name is Chili Verde--are reputedly hotter. A ripe red Anaheim is sometimes known as a chili Colorado. Anaheim chilies are dried and tied in wreathes (ristras) and ground and blended in commercial chili powder mixtures. They may be purchased in cans as "mild green chilies". These chilies were named after the town that at the turn of the century, was the site of a chili cannery.

These long, green chilies are relatively mild (for a chili pepper, that is). They are the variety most often used in packaged and prepared foods. Anaheim chile peppers (New Mexican) a mild green or red chile about 6" long. Its flavor is improved by roasting.

Ancho chile peppers (ripened, dried poblano chilies) Anchos are mild, smoky-flavored chilies that are broad, flat and heart-shaped. The powdered form, is known as ancho molido. Appearance: broad, flat, wrinkled and heart-shaped with medium-thick flesh; 3" to 6" long, 2" to 3" wide; dark reddish mahogany (sometimes called "mulato" when dark brown or "negro" when black) Flavor: mild fruit flavor with smoky, earthy hints of coffee and dried plum. Firepower: cozy and warm; a modest "3" on the heat scale. Best Uses: chili, sauces and moles.

Note: the Spanish mole means "mixture", as in guacamole, which is a mixture of vegetables or guaca.

CASCABEL CHILIES: True ones are scarcer than hens' teeth in most parts of the United States. Sometimes dried Anaheim Chilies are labeled "cascabel," but they are very different from the authentic item. Fresh cascabel chilies are hot and have a distinctive flavor. They are round and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Dried, the cascabel chili has a nutlike flavor.

CAYENNE CHILIES: are thin and tapered, three to seven inches long. Dark green (unripe) or bright red (ripe), the cayenne is incendiary and well known to Asian kitchens. The red ones are dried and ground to make cayenne pepper ("ground red pepper"). This product adds heat and just a little chili flavor. Cayenne pepper a very piquant spice made from dried, ground cayenne chile peppers.

Chili powder a blend of ground chilies, garlic, cumin and oregano often used in Southwestern cooking.

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