Mexican food has been known for the wide use of spicy foods based on chili peppers. This is an important part of Mexican gastronomy, being found in most dishes. For that reason, here we bring you the 11 most consumed types of chili peppers in Mexico.
Types of Chili Peppers or Chiles in Mexico
There are different types of cuisine in the world, recognized by all its extensive varieties of unique flavors; in Japan, the umami flavor is characteristic of their dishes like sushi or ramen; in Spanish, Basque and Catalan gastronomy part of different diets of seafood and dishes with aromatic herbs such as paella; however, and Mexican food, has been characterized by the extensive use of foods based on the chili peppers.
Chili is an important part of Mexican gastronomy, being found in most dishes. Despite being a resource used by other countries in their food, no other has marked its use and variety as much as Mexican food.
The pre-Hispanic culture already used chili peppers in their recipes more than 500 years ago, and it is possible to read about their use in the codes of antiquity. And from then until today, the variety of chili peppers has increased, so that at least 64 types of chili peppers are produced in Mexico. From the Jalapeño with its acid flavor, rich to accompany with some tostadas de pata, to the Poblano, which is used in different recipes filled with the ingredients.
Therefore, here we bring you the 11 most consumed chili peppers in Mexico.
Jalapeño Pepper or Chile Jalapeño
The jalapeño chili pepper is the most used and consumed chili peppers in Mexico, so designated for its natural production in Xalapa, Veracruz. It has several ways to be used, either fresh from the sea, roasted, cooked or pickled, the jalapeño chile has a characteristic flavor that accentuates Mexican food. Other variations of the chili pepper, such as chipotle, mora or morita chile, are nothing more than the smoked version of the jalapeño chili pepper or chile jalapeño.
Guajillo Pepper or Chile guajillo
The guajillo chili pepper is one of the most used in recipes of broths, sauces, stews and moles. It has different varieties denominated according to its hotness; the chile guajillo ancho, being the least hot; chile guajillo chico, with a slightly higher hotness; chile guajillo puya; the hottest and produced mainly in the areas of Zacatecas and Durango.
Poblano Pepper or Chile Poblano
This fresh variety of chili peppers, also known as chile ancho in its reddish form, is one of the most eaten chili peppers by Mexicans. It gets its name from the gastronomy of Puebla, where the famous chiles en nogada are the main object of consumption.
Chile De Arbol Pepper
Despite what its name might indicate, this variety of chili peppers is born from a bush similar to that of any other chili pepper. The reason for its name comes from its intensity.
The chile de arbol is used in different varieties of food, especially in sauces and stews.
Chilaca Pepper or Chile Chilaca
The Chilaca chili pepper, also known as cuernillo or pasilla pepper, is curious for its tiny size and its skin that resembles the skin of a prune. It is used in sauces, broths or stews; although roasted and with the skin removed, it is presented in the form of strips to accompany tacos and other stews.
Güero Pepper or Chile Güero
This is the name given to a large number of chili peppers, due to their yellow color, are notorious in comparison to other green chili peppers. Traditional cuisine uses them in different ways, sometimes as roasts, and others as garnishes.
Chipotle Pepper or Chile Chipotle
As mentioned before, the chipotle chili pepper is a variation of the jalapeño chili pepper that has been smoked and matured until it becomes dry and reddish. This variation of the jalapeño is constantly used in different dishes called enchipotlados, or adobados.
Habanero Pepper or Chile Habanero
One of the hottest chili peppers that exist in Mexican food. This chile has a small size, slightly convex.
Its consumption is varied, from fresh, cut in slices and prepared with lemon and onions, to roasted with different ingredients and called toreado.
Pequin Pepper or Chile Piquín
This chili pepper of Tabasco origin, has a tiny, but being at least 6 times hotter than the jalapeño.
This chile is ground in such a way that it will remain a small powder that is used to complement chopped fruit, sauces, broths, stews and even sour candies.
Costeno Pepper or Chile Costeño
Variety of chili known for its large size. It is commonly consumed in states such as Oaxaca and Guerrero, where it accompanies broths, sauces and stews.
Serrano Pepper or Chile Serrano
This chili pepper, small and cylindrical in size, is usually consumed with its seeds and veins, which makes it even hotter. It can be consumed fresh, in a greenish color, or red, when it has reached maturity.
