If you love to cook with a little heat then read on because weâre talking about all different types of chillies â from the very mildest piquant peppers, right through to the hottest of the hot.
THE CHILLI CHALLENGE
Chilli challenges have been sweeping the internet of late, with crazy folk of the world filming themselves eating some of the worldâs hottest and letting us watch their pained reactions for fun. As with anything, itâs all a game until someone gets hurt. At the end of 2016, it was reported that a man was hospitalised in the US after being rushed to the ER with a spontaneous oesophageal rupture, also known as Boerhaave syndrome, after eating a burger smothered with ghost pepper purĂ©e. There have also been reports of vomiting blood and other delightful reactions. Itâs interesting what some deem as fun.
THE SCOVILLE SCALE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILLIES
To avoid a similar situation, how can you tell what kind of heat different types of chillies are packing? Well, the Scoville scale, invented by a smart fellow by the name of Wilbur Scoville, is used to measure hotness by determining the capsaicin content â the compound that gives chilli peppers their sting. Back in the day, human beings were used as the guinea pigs to test heat levels â the method related to how diluted the pepper would need to be in order for taste testers to no longer taste its effects (originally diluted in an alcohol-based extract). Besides possibly getting hammered, this method was a bit trial and error. Fortunately,
Fortunately, scientific ability has advanced and weâve figured out a way to separate the capsaicinoids and use liquid chromatography to measure the heat. This method is still measured in SHU (Scoville Heat Units), keeping Wilburâs legacy intact. Using SHU as a guideline when reading the label of your favourite chilli sauce will come in very handy when you need to know whether youâre dealing with a spicy kick or full-scale tastebud warfare.
Did you know? The infamous Carolina Reaper chilli is currently the hottest chilli in the world as determined by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013, scoring more than 2.2 million SHU (official record). To put that into perspective, the jalapeño pepper has a range of a between a rather paltry 1000 and 20 000 SHU when compared.
The theory is that the more spicy food you eat the better youâll be able to tolerate it but weâre not sure if that theory holds any water. Just in case, be sure to bump up your chilli knowledge with our handy guide to different types of chillies so that you donât get caught unawares.
A GUIDE TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILLIES
PEPPADEWÂź
The heat: A tangy party in the mouthâŠ
Length: 4 cm
This pepper is native to South Africa. It was discovered in the 90s and has been popular worldwide ever since. The PeppadewÂź name is trademarked in South Africa as a means to control the commercial growing of the pepper. It has a unique taste with hints of spice and sweetness. It is very mild with a Scoville rating of 1100 to 1200 SHU. This versatile pepper can be sliced and used on pizzas and in bread, pasta, salads and more. It can also be filled with cheese for a quick snack. The PeppadewÂź resembles a cherry tomato or a miniature red pepper and is mostly sold pickled, with the seeds removed, to give a milder flavour.
RECIPE: Easy Corn Salsa with Pepperdew Jalapeno & Ginger Relish
POBLANO
The heat: A mild biteâŠ
Length: 7 â 15 cm
Youâre still in safe territory if youâre eating a poblano chilli.  This larger size pepper ranges from 7-15 cm long and packs a Scoville rating of 2500 to 5000 SHU. It comes from the Puebla state in Mexico and its name means âan inhabitant of Pueblaâ. These types of chillies are much more potent when ripe and red as opposed to its raw, green state. As they mature, they turn a dark, almost brownish red colour and are a good chilli for drying because of their thick skin. When dried they are known as an ancho chilli and where it hails from is also accepted by many as the origin of mole poblano â the spicy chilli sauce enriched with very bitter dark chocolate, which is one of the most iconic dishes in Mexico.
GUAJILLO
The heat: Youâre getting warmerâŠ
Length: 5 â 10 cm
This chilli, often sold dried, is deseeded, soaked and ground into a thin paste to be used in salsa, soups or stews. It is most commonly used to make salsa for dishes such as tamales and it adds a rich, aromatic taste. The guajillo chilli is relatively big measuring 5-10 cm in length, their medium hotness ranges between 2500 and 5000 SHU on the Scoville scale. Due to its thick and leathery skin, this chilli requires a longer soaking period than most other dried chillies in order to unlock its flavours.
JALAPEĂO
The heat: Whoa, weâre in Mexico sonâŠ
Length: 4 cm +
This is probably one of the most popular peppers out there. It has a Scoville rating that is pretty broad, ranging from 1000 right up to 20 000 SHU. Being that the heat range is so broad, it can be a bit of a gamble â you never know what youâre going to get. Something to remember though is that as jalapeños get older they turn red and become much hotter. The hotter jalapeños also have white âstretch marksâ which indicate their age and hotness, while milder jalapeños will be smooth. Jalapeños contain vitamin C and A, so besides being tasty, theyâre a good addition to your diet. We love them stuffed, wrapped and fried.
RECIPE: Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
CHIPOTLE
The heat: The Cheech & Chong of chilliesâŠ
Length: 5 â 7 cm
The word chipotle means smoked chilli and just like the name says, these little flavour bombs are smoke-dried jalapeños. If youâre wondering why they have a reddish hue when most of the jalapeños you would have seen are green, itâs because they are smoked when they are ripe, and jalapeños turn red when ripe. The two most common varieties of chipotle are the Chipotle Morita and Chipotle Meco.
Chipotle Meco is much harder to find and is dried out for a much longer time than the Chipotle Morita. The vast majority of Chipotle Morita are made in Chihuahua state in the north of Mexico, while the less common Chipotle Meco, are made in the central and southern parts of Mexico. These types of chillies are medium to hot with a Scoville rating of 2500 to 10 000 SHU. It can be used in salsas, stews and soups as well as many other dishes to add a mild to spicy and smoky kick.
RECIPES: Chipotle Beef Brisket with Cheddar Biscuits or Chipotle Beef Short Ribs
SERRANO
The heat: Enough to make your nose runâŠ
Length: 5 cm
Serrano peppers look very similar to jalapeños but donât be fooled by the look of these types of chillies â the serrano pepper is much hotter, with a Scoville rating of 10 000 to 25 000 SHU. The average size is of a serrano pepper is about 5 cm long â the smaller the serrano the more potent it is. This pepper also originated in Mexico and is one of the most commonly found peppers in that part of the world with 180 000 tons produced in Mexico every year. The taste can best be described as âcrispâ and they are usually eaten raw. The serrano has a very thin skin which makes it easy to eat raw but tricky to dry. They are green when raw and turn into a multitude of colours including red, brown, orange and yellow when ripe.
The taste can best be described as âcrispâ and they are usually eaten raw. The serrano has a very thin skin which makes it easy to eat raw but tricky to dry. They are green when raw and turn into a multitude of colours including red, brown, orange and yellow when ripe.
RED CAYENNE PEPPER
The heat: Mother of dragonsâŠ
Length: 12 â 15 cm
This is probably quite a familiar one, with the ground version of it being a popular spice rack favourite. Also known as the red hot chilli pepper, the cow-horn pepper or the aleva, it is rated at around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. If youâre interested in growing chillies, this is a good place to start as the plant grows well and the fruit dries well and can be ground to powder. It is named after the capital city of the French Guiana, âCayenneâ.
PIRI PIRI (AFRICAN BIRDâS EYE OR PERI PERI)
The heat: Ring sting⊠itâs happening.
Length: 2 â 3 cm
Ah piri piri, peri peri, however you say it or spell it, we love it. The direct translation from Swahili means pepper pepper, but do not be deceived by this or its small form â butt burning ability comes in small packages. Said to have been brought by the Portuguese from Goa, this little chilli has comfortably found its home in the hearts of South Africans, most notably in the dish of peri peri chicken. Peri Peri sauce is also a national treasure and an important ingredient that accompanies meals across the country on a daily basis. Ask any Portuguese-South African and theyâll claim their recipe is the best!
RECIPE: Peri Peri Chicken Lollipops
Birdâs Eye
The heat: Bombay bottom territoryâŠ
Length: 2 â 4 cm
These types of chillies are very small and the seeds are often spread by birds, hence the name Birdâs Eye. If youâre wondering how our feathered friends manage to eat them, itâs because they canât taste capsaicin. Itâs meant to deter mammals, but so far that hasnât stopped us. They can either be red and green in colour. The Birdâs Eye chilli, although small, packs quite the uppercut, with a Scoville rating of 100 000 to 225 000 SHU.
Birdâs Eye chillies have surprising health benefits including helping to control arthritic pain, stomach pain and toothaches, possibly because theyâre so hot that you forget about any other ailment. This chilli has its origins in the South American country of Guyana. Although it comes from South America, it is widely used in many south-east Asian dishes. In India, it is used as an antibacterial agent to prevent infections.
HABANERO
The heat: Refrigerate the toilet paperâŠ
Length: 2 â 6 cm
This chilli is named after Havana (La Habana), the capital city of Cuba. Most habanero chillies come from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is a very hot chilli, with a Scoville rating of 100 000 to 350 000 SHU. The habanero chilli comes in many different colours although some growers consider the orange habanero to be the only real habanero. Very limited research has revealed that habanero peppers may be helpful in controlling insulin levels in diabetics. Be careful when trying this chilli as its heat is very intense for a novice chilli taster. Add very carefully in small quantities to a salsa or chilli con carne to provide a significant bite.
GHOST PEPPER
The heat: Donât handle without protective clothingâŠ
Length: 6,5 â 8, 5 cm
The ghost pepper is known by a few names but most commonly Bhut jolokia. It held the top honour as the worldâs hottest pepper for quite a while but has since been pipped by the Carolina Reaper. It still rates at a cool (or rather boiling) 1 million SHUâs though, so nothing to sniff at. The ghost pepper originates from India and grows in the north-eastern regions of Nagaland and Assam. It grows to its most potent in this area and studies have shown that growing it outside of these specific places lowers its potency. Even at a lower potency, it is still killer hot â just touching the flesh can cause skin burns, so why you would want to eat it or cook with it we really donât know.
CAROLINA REAPER
The heat: Hospitalisation probable.
Length: 3 â 7 cm
The final chilli in our guide to different types of chillies is the Carolina Reaper â a mean, gnarled and pointy-tailed looking pepper, which makes total sense given its devilish demeanour. Perhaps devilish is too kind of a phrase for this chilli, which quite literally bestows the wrath of hellfire on anyone who dares eat it. It should be noted though that this is a âman-madeâ pepper and is not an original product of Mother Nature. A man by the name of âSmokinâ Ed Currie, owner of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in, as you guessed it, South Carolina, crossed a ghost pepper and a red habanero to breed this evil spawn.
– with thanks to Crush Mag