C. annuum

Cascabel

lowDried

1,000-3,000 SHU

Origin

Mexico; a round dried chile.

Uses

Toasted and ground for table salsas, soups and broths to which it lends an earthy depth. Its nutty flavour pairs well with meats and stews.

About this chile

Its name, "cascabel" (rattle), says it all: once dried, the seeds come loose inside the pod and rattle like a baby's rattle, or a rattlesnake's tail, when you shake it. Round and almost spherical, it offers a warm, nutty, woody flavour rather than aggressive heat, which makes it prized in salsas.