Chiles
Chiles are the heart and soul of Mexican cuisine. Native to Mexico and South America, archeologists have found evidence proving that chile has been cultivated longer than corn.
The heat we feel in our mouth when we eat chile due to the capsaicin present in the cross wall portion of the fruit. Once a chile is cooked or chopped, the capsaicin is released, and is absorbed by the food around it. Eating capsaicin triggers an endorphin response from the human brain, creating a natural "high" and encouraging continued consumption (read: addiction!)
The amount of capsaicin differs in each chile variety. In 1912, Dr. Wilbur Scoville established a scale for measuring the capsaicin in each chile variety. The Scoville Unit is still used today to describe the relative heat of a chile.
Below is a chart of chile varieties, and their corresponding measurement in Scoville Units. We have also appended a corresponding number, as seen on our dried chile products. (A scale from 1 to10 is a little easier to remember than a scale from 1 to 350,000!)
| Scale Number: |
Scoville Units: |
Chile Variety: |
| 10 |
100,000-350,000 |
Habanero; Scotch Bonnet |
| 9 |
50,000-100,000 |
Chiltepin; Cayenne; Tabasco |
| 8 |
30,000-50,000 |
Aji; Piquin; Chiltepin, |
| 7 |
15,000-30,000 |
de Arbol, Serrano Seco |
| 6 |
5,000-15,000 |
Serrano; Early jalapeno, Mora, Pulla |
| 5 |
2,500-5,000 |
jalapeno; Mirasol |
| 4 |
1,500-2,500 |
cascabel; Yellow Wax Hot |
| 3 |
1,000-1,500 |
Ancho; Pasilla, Mulato |
| 2 |
500-1,000 |
Anaheim; New Mexican |
| 1 |
100-500 |
Bell; Pimento |
Each variety of chile, whether dried or fresh, has its specific character and use. Below is a guide to the chiles we offer:
Chile Ancho: Heat Rating 3-5 Sweet, woody, coffee like flavor, dark red color. Mostly used in sauces for food dishes such as enchiladas and moles, as opposed to hot sauces.
Chile Pasilla: Heat rating 3-5 Sweet, raisin, liquorice flavor, dark black color. Many times, this chile is mixed with other chiles for sauces for food dishes to add depth to overall flavor. Good for table hot sauce, especially if mixed with hotter chiles.
Chile Chipotle: Heat rating 6-8 Mesquite smoked, hot deep flavor, brown/striped. Used mostly for table hot sauce, although occasionally seen in food dishes. The heat of chile chipotle can be "lowered" by mixing it with pureed tomato.
Chile de Arbol: Heat rating 5-7 Fruity and sharp, for table sauces, deep red. Tip: Flavor is enhanced by oven toasting. Heat oven to 350ยบ. Place chiles in a shallow pan, and toast in oven for 60 seconds. Remove from oven, and cool. Render as directed above.
Chile Piquin: Heat rating 6-8 Piquant, wild, sharp bite, for table sauces, dark orange.
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