C. annuum

Serrano

lowFresh

10,000-23,000 SHU

Origin

The mountains of Puebla and Hidalgo (Mexico).

Uses

The soul of salsa verde (raw or roasted) and of pico de gallo; it takes guacamole up a notch. It works just as well pickled in escabeche, chopped raw over tacos, or sparking up broths and stews.

About this chile

It takes its name from the Mexican mountain ranges of Puebla and Hidalgo. It is almost always eaten green (unripe) and raw, which keeps that crisp, herbaceous edge. It packs two to four times the heat of a jalapeño, but being smaller and slimmer many people confuse the two. Unlike its cousin, it is rarely smoked or dried: here the whole point is freshness.