The Cooking Inn : Chile & Pepper Terminology C PageSelect a name from the list to go to it's site
Campanulate:
Shaped like a bell.
Capsicum:
Genus name for chiles.
Capsaicin:
One of the alkaloids in chile that makes it hot.
Capsaicinoids:
One of the groups of alkaloids in chiles that make them hot.
Cascabel:
A rich, blood red pepper with medium heat.
Cayenne Chile:
An extremely hot bright red chile, 3” to 5” long and about 1/2 an inch in diameter. Cayennes are generally sold dried as cayenne pepper and used in soups, sauces and stews.
Chawa:
Pale to medium yellow, usually curved and tapered to a point. About 3 to 5 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Has a sweet, mild flavor. Used in salads, ceviches or pickled.
Chihuacle Rojo:
Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, it is a staple ingredient in the famous Oaxacan mole sauces. Medium-hot.
Chilacas are not readily available in the average supermarket, but are in Mexican stores most of the time. Chilacas are recognized by their color. When fresh they are almost blackish green. They are available dried and are then called pasillas from the Spanish pasa (raisin). Green they are long and thin - 5" to 7" long and about ½" to ¾" in diameter. Chilacas are good for mixing with other green chiles to make more complex flavored dishes. Chilacas are used in ranch country but not widely; usually from home gardens and for variety.
There are over 200 varieties of chiles, varying in length from a 1/4-inch to 12 inches and in shape from long and narrow to plump and round. Their heat quotient varies from mildly warm to fiery hot.
A chile’s colour can be anywhere from green to yellow to red to black. As a general rule, the larger the chile the milder it is. Small chiles are much hotter because, proportionally, they contain more
seeds and veins than larger specimens. Those seeds and membranes contain most of the chile’s capsaicin, the oil that gives chiles their heat. Removing a chile’s seeds and veins is the only way to reduce its heat.
The base for the popular southwestern dish, carne adovada. Red chile pods blended with water to a puree and seasoned. The dried chiles must be soaked first to rehydrate.
Often refers to Phytophthora wilt caused by a fungus, can also refer to fungal disease Verticillium.
Chiles, Green
A variety of sizes, shapes, and piquancies, they are a staple in Southwestern cuisine. Green chile can refer to many varieties, most commonly Anaheim, Poblano or New Mexican. Before use, the skin is removed. Used in sauces, relishes, stews, and chile rellenos.
Chiles, Red :
Green chile that is fully matured, Most often it is dried and must be soaked in water to rehydrate. Usually used ground or crushed for added seasoning or in making a variety of sauces.
Chilipiquin:
See Bird Pepper.
Chiltepin:
A wild variety of piquins also called bird peppers, wild bird peppers and birdseye peppers, usually round in shape.
Chipotle:
A sweet, chocolate flavored dried jalapeno pepper that has been smoked. Very hot. Used in salsas, sauces, and soups. Also pickled and canned in adobo sauce.
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