The chiles › Jalapeño
C. annuum
Jalapeño
lowFresh
2,500-8,000 SHU
Origin
Mexico (Veracruz).
Uses
Raw and chopped over nachos, pickled in rings, or stuffed with cheese and breaded in the famous jalapeño poppers. Ripened, smoked and dried it becomes the chipotle, the base of chipotles en adobo. Also in salsas, guacamoles and pickles.
About this chile
The gateway chile par excellence: meaty, versatile and with a friendly heat. Its name means "from Jalapa" (Xalapa), capital of the Mexican state of Veracruz, where it was traditionally traded. Its best trick lies in ripeness: when it turns red, gets smoked and dried, it stops being a jalapeño and becomes the chipotle, with a deep, smoky flavour that is something else entirely.