If you are a fan of spicy dishes, surely the chile de árbol will catch your eye. It might not be the spiciest of them all, but it definitely isn’t. Don’t let the name confuse you, it’s not a pepper that falls from the tree, yet it’s very popular in Mexican cuisine.
In this article we will explain what is chili de árbol, why does it have this name and what are its characteristics. In addition, we will comment on how spicy this variety is. I recommend that you keep reading if you want to know more about this vegetable.
Contents
What is Chili de Arbol?
When we talk about chile de árbol, we are referring to a variety of peppers of the genus Latin. It is a vegetable native to Central America and Mexico. It should be noted that It is one of the most used dried peppers in Mexican cuisine, especially for making sauces. It can also be eaten fresh, although this is less common. Like most peppers, it has a strong, spicy aroma.
And where does this curious name come from? Well, it really has a very logical explanation. Plants of this variety tend to reach taller heights than others on average, reaching up to 1.2 meters high. At this point, it should be noted that this is not a tree. Chili de árbol is actually a herbaceous plant or a type of shrub. This variety also receives other names, depending on the region in which you are. These are: Rat’s Tail, Bird’s Beak, Alfilerillo Pepper, Bravo Pepper, Eagle Pepper (cuauchilli), and San Juan Pepper.
There are two varieties of chili that can be found all over the world called cayenne and bird’s eye. Both are very similar to chile de árbol, although the latter originated in Mexico. Actually, It is very common to confuse these three varieties. Some theories say that one of these species derives from the other, but this is not entirely clear. In addition, there is a type of chile de árbol protected by a DO (Denomination of Origin). It is the Yahualica pepper, originating from Yahualica in Jalisco, and it is one of the 16 denominations of origin that exist in Mexico.
Characteristics and culture
Now that we know a little more about chile de árbol, let’s talk about some of its characteristics. This fruit has a triangular shape and is quite elongated. It is usually between seven and ten centimeters long, while its width varies from one to four centimeters. Initially, it is green in color, but as it matures, it turns red. After the drying process, its color becomes brighter and more intense, even darkening. In addition, your skin becomes smoother and finer.
As for the origin of chile de árbol, it is believed that it could be the region called “Los Altos”, located in Jalisco. On the other hand, the main cultivation of this variety takes place in the northern Altiplano and in El Bajío. The states concerned are Aguascalientes, Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas and Sinaloa. For the chili de árbol to germinate, it needs a temperature between 18°C and 32°C. Ninety days after planting these vegetables, the fruits can already be harvested.
The flavor of this variety is usually smoky with a hint of nuts, that is, with a slight nutty flavor, like walnuts. It is quite a pungent variety, reason why it is very popular in combination with other dried peppers to create sauces. It can also be added to certain stews to give it a bit more flavor. Additionally, chili de árbol powder can be found in some supermarkets.
At the culinary level, chili de árbol is used in many red sauces. Ingredients and their preparation vary by region and even household. It is quite common to add, apart from the chili de árbol, garlic and green tomatoes, all mixed well and mixed with salt and water. From this base, a macha sauce can be made perfectly by adding peanuts and/or sesame seeds. Red sauces can also be made by combining them with other dried chilies. It’s for the taste! And in the kitchen, we can be creative.
Other names by which red sauce is known, consumed mainly in the center of the country, It’s taco sauce. It is known as such because it is widely used to accompany tacos, a very popular dish in Mexico. It is a tortilla, usually made from corn, which is rolled up and introduced different ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and sauce.
What is the temperature of chili de arbol?
Now let’s move on to a very important question: what is the temperature of chili de árbol? To do this, you must first know how the spiciness of these fruits is measured. To do this, the so-called Scoville scale was created. This method measures the amount of capsaicin contained in the food in question. Capsaicin is a chemical found in chili peppers that gives them their characteristic heat. In many varieties, where there is more capsaicin is in the seeds and in the veins inside the fruit. In the case of chili de árbol, it has between 10,000 and 30,000 Scoville units, which is considered hot to very hot. To get an idea, we will put the five hottest peppers according to the Scoville scale:
- Pepper X: 2,800,000 – 3,180,000
- Lethal Strain or HP56: 2,900,000 – 3,000,000
- Dragon’s Breath: 1,900,500 – 2,480,000
- Caroline Reaper: 1,569,300 – 2,220,000
- Naga Viper: 1,300,000 – 2,000,000
As you can see, there are peppers that are much hotter than the tree one. It should be noted that many varieties with points on the Scoville scale as high as These are usually hybrids created specifically to increase their level of spiciness. Although we are very spicy lovers, we must remember that excess is bad. Eating too spicy can cause severe gastroenteritis.
I hope this information about chili de árbol has been of interest to you. If you tried it, you can tell us about the experience in the comments.