The Science of Spice

192 Spice Profiles

Guajillo

This is the dark, sun-dried form of the mirasol

chilli. Its smoky sweetness – with just a little

heat – peps up classic Mexican tamales,

enchiladas, and salsas.

Arbol

This slender, sun-dried chilli is widely used in

Mexican cuisine to add a bright, fiery flavour

with smoky notes. Fry in oil and finely chop,

or crushed and use as chilli flakes.

Kashmiri

The dried Kashmiri chilli has an attractive

deep crimson colour, and unlike many Indian

chillies it is only mildly spicy. An essential part

of rogan josh and Kashmiri biryani.

Jalapeño

Medium-hot jalapeño chillies are harvested green for

using fresh, roasting, or pickling, or left to ripen further

for smoke-drying. In Mexico, jalapeño refers to pickled

chillies; fresh they are known as cuarescmeno.

Cascabel

This cherry-tomato-shaped Mexican chilli –

nicknamed the “rattle chilli” because its seeds

rattle when shaken – is prized for its tropical

sweetness without excessive heat.

Ancho

A sweet, fruity, and mild dried chilli, with a

hint of tobacco, it can be soaked and stuffed,

or blitzed and added to mole sauce. Goes well

with pulled pork in a burrito.

CHILLI

varieties

Chillies come in many shapes, sizes,

and colours. As a rule of thumb, the

smaller and riper a chilli is, the hotter

it will be. Mexico is unique in having

distinct uses for their many varieties.

Mexican dried chillies should be

pliable, not brittle. Wipe them clean,

remove the stems and bland seeds,

dry-toast, then soak before use.

Medium heat

variety with

a smoky,

nutty taste

Dried version

of the Mexican

poblano pepper

Pith tends to

fill the interior

of jalapeños

Use crumbled

or ground in

cornbread or

pork stews

FRESH CHILLIES

DRIED CHILLIES

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