New Mexico 1: an elongated, thin walled pod type of annuum species 2: the southern US state touted as the Mecca of chile culture.
Naga Jolokia (NAH-gah joh-LOH-kee-uh) the newest “Hottest Chile on Earth” as confirmed by recent methodical studies in New Mexico. The dust hasn’t quite settled on which specific variety or name (variations include: Bhut Jolokia, Dorset Naga, Naga Mircha, Raja Mircha…the list goes on) will carry this ultimate prestige as cultivars continue to be examined with great interest. Read more: www.fiery-foods.com/dave/sagajolokia.asp heat:12-15/10!!
Naga Mircha see: Naga Jolokia
Negro (NAY-groh) Sp. black
Nopal (noh-PAHL) a Prickly Pear cactus with edible paddles and fruit (called ‘tuna’)
Nopalitos (NOH-pahl-EE-tohs) strips cut from Nopal cactus paddles
Oleoresin (OH-lee-oh-RES-sin) highly concentrated oils extracted from pods of genus: capsicum. Extracts may be from non-pungent varieties and used for food colouring or flavours OR from piquant chiles which produce capsicum defence spray and mind-melting hot sauces.
Paprika (pap-REEK-uh) in a very roundabout way this pod type of annuum species was named after piper nigrum, or, black pepper. Oddly, in much of the world, the term ‘paprika’ describes any mild or sweet chile, usually ground into a powdered form and used solely for its colouring qualities. In Europe varieties of paprika are diverse, distinct and celebrated. heat:0-6/10
Pasilla (pah-SEE-ah) literally ‘little raisin’ due to its flavour when dried; this dried form of Chile Chilaca is essential for many Mexican pureed sauces, particularly moles heat: 3-6/10
Pendant describes chile pods which hang downward
Pepper 1: the spice product piper nigrum 2: in the United States, a term used for all varieties of genus: capsicum; also used as a redundant appendage, as in “chile pepper” see also: Joel craps on about semantics 3: perhaps history’s longest running joke, at the expense of Christopher Columbus who mistook the spice for piper nigrum. His same lack of skill with anthropology led to hundreds of years of American ‘injuns’.
Pequin (pee-KIN) see piquin
Peri Peri (PEHR-ee PEHR-ee) a Portuguese-style sauce made with African chiles; also used to describe chiles, in general see also: pili pili
Picante (pee-KAHN-tay) Sp. spicy-hot
Pili Pili (PEE-lee PEE-lee) Swahili term for the African land race of Chile Tepin; also used to describe chiles, in general
Piri Piri (PEER-ee PEER-ee) see pili pili
Piment (pihm-EHNT) the French term for chiles, in general
Pimento (pihm-EHN-toh) 1: a Portugese term for chiles, in general 2: in Jamaica and the West Indes: allspice
Pimiento (PEE-me-EHN-toh) the sweet paprika chiles commonly stuffed into cocktail olives; also referred to as ‘pimento’ heat:0-1/10
Pinto (PIN-toh) literally ‘spotted’ these are the staple haricot beans in Mexican home cooking
Piquancy (PEE-con-see) perhaps the best word available to describe levels of chile pungency without allusion to thermal heat
Piquant (pee-KANT) perhaps the best word available to describe chile pungency without allusion to thermal heat
Piquin (pee-KIN) named for its diminutive size this pod type of annuum species often changes its name depending on the pod size (elongated pods are often referred to as ’piquin’ or ‘tepin) OR who you ask. Variations include: chilepequin / chilipequin, chilepiquin / chilipiquin, (generally referring to the small, round pods), pequin, or the trans-cultural name for any miscellaneous chile: bird pepper
Poblano (poh-BLAH-noh) literally ‘people chile’ this variety of annuum species is the fresh form of Chile Ancho heat: 0-3/10
Pod the individual fruit of a chile plant
Pollo (POY-yoh) Sp. chicken
Popper a specific preparation of Jalapeños which are skinned & seeded, filled with cheese and breaded for deep-frying
Postres (POHS-trase) Sp. desserts
Pubescens (PUE-buh-sens) literally ‘hairy’ alluding to the fuzzy leaves characteristic of the species. Pubescens is one of the five domesticated species of genus:capsicum; pod types within the species include the South American Rocotos and Mexican Manzanas
Pungency (PUNN-jin-see) a term used to describe levels of chile ‘heat’
Pungent (PUNN-jint) a term used to indicate chile ‘heat’
Raja Mircha see: Naga Jolokia
Red Savina (RED sah-VEE-nuh) a purpose-bred cultivar of Habañero which, for over a decade, held the World Record for “hottest chile”. Tests performed in 1994 (yet, never repeated) measured the piquancy of Red Savina at a blistering 577,000 S.H.U.
Ristra (REE-strah) a bunched string of chiles
Rocotillo (ROH-coh-TEE-oh) a type of chinense species common in Cuba heat: 1-4/10
Rocoto (roh-COH-toh) the name for South American varieties of Pubescens species; also called ‘locoto’, anario’ and ‘manzana’ heat: 5-9/10
Rojo (ROH-hoh) Sp. red
Salsa (SAHL-sah) literally ‘sauce’ salsa usually refers to chunky chile relishes served cold
Scotch Bonnet a pod type of chinense species in Jamaica named for its billowed shape heat: 7-10/10
Scoville see S.H.U.
Seco (SAY-coh) Sp. dried
Seasoning Pepper a variety of chinense species with an elongated shape common in The Caribbean heat: 4-7/10
Serrano (sehr-RAH-noh) literally ‘highlander’ or ‘mountain chile’ a variety of annuum species with a fat bullet shape heat: 4-7/10
S.H.U. named for researcher Wilbur Scoville, the "Scoville Heat Unit" is used to scientifically gauge the piquancy of a chile or chile product. It’s like a British Thermal Unit…in your mouth! In practice, this is the number of times the product must be diluted before heat is no longer detectable. The testing process is not completely accurate but, aside from adjectives like "hot", "blazing", and "HOLY S@#T!" it's the best we got.
Species one of the sub-categories in the scientific nomenclature of living things. see also: taxonomy
Tabasco (tah-BASS-coh) a type of frutescens species named for the Mexican city of its heritage. It is also the feature ingredient of the world’s most famous sauce which has been produced on Louliana’s Avery Island for nearly 150 years heat: 6-8/10
Tamale (tah-MAHL-aa) a preparation of corn masa rolled into corn husks or banana leaves
Tepin (teh-PINN) a variety of annuum species ‘Tepin’ usually refers to the elongated or larger pods of chiltepin heat: 5-8/10
Taco (TAHH-coh) any variety of meats, cheeses and/or salsas c-folded into soft or crispy corn tortillas. In Mexico tacos are considered a snack food and are quite commonly available from street vendors
Taxonomy the scientific nomenclature of all living things.
The taxonomy of chiles proceeds as follows:
Kingdom – plantae
Phylum – magnoliophyta
Class – magnoliopsida
Order – solanales
Family – solanaceae
Genus – capsicum
Species – chinense (or any of 20-odd other capsicum species)
Pod Type – Habañero, for example
Cultivar - Red Savina, for example
The taxonomy of most creatures viewing this website proceeds as follows:
Kingdom – animalia
Phylum – chordata
Class – mammalia
Order – primata
Family – hominade
Genus – homo
Species – sapiens
Type - addictia
Cultivar – chilehead
Thai Hot though several chile types could be suitable explanations of this name, the shaky consensus is that ‘Thai Hot’ refers to the deep red, bullet shaped mirasol pods bred from Chile Tepin heat: 6-9/10
Toma Verde (TOH-mah VEHR-day) see: Tomatillo
Tomatillo (TOH-mah-TEE-yo) a relative of the cape gooseberry whose fruit grows with the same papery husk surrounding it. Tomatillos ripen to a medium-green colour and are blanched or roasted before use, primarily in cold salsas and chili dishes; also called ‘toma verde’
Tortilla (tohr-TEE-yah) the flatbread staple of Mexican food which can be made with corn masa (as in the case for most of Mexico) or wheat flour (the more common type in the US and northern Mexico)
Tostada (toh-STAH-dah) a crispy, unfolded corn tortilla topped with refried beans plus other ingredients such as: salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce, black olives or guacamole
Tuna (TOO-nah) the edible fruit of nopal cactus
Quesadilla (KAY-sah-DEE-ah) as literally as I can come up with ‘cheese dealie’ a tortilla (corn or wheat flour) folded in half with a small amount of cheese inside, then toasted on a dry skillet or, in the case of Mexican street vendors, fried in a bath of hot oil
Queso (KAY-soh) Sp. cheese
Verde (VEHR-day) Sp. green
Wax named for their glossy sheen there are many varieties of chile which use this name. Most are yellow or orange/red in colour and on the milder end, but watch out for some of the Hungarian cultivars heat:0-7/10
Yerba (YEHR-bah) Sp. herb
Yerba Buena (YEHR-bah BWAY-nah) Sp. “good herb” referring to various types of mint
Yerba Maté (YEHR-bah mah-TAY) leaves of the South American variety of holly: Ilex paraguariensis. Maté is commonly consumed warm or cold as an invigorating tea and is rich in antioxidants.
Zulu (ZOO-loo) okay, I just wanted to have a ‘Z’ to round out the list. On the pertinent side; members of this proud South African tribe have, surely, taken to eating chiles.
