Most typical chillies come from the species Capsicum Annuum, which was first grown in Mexico round 5,000 years in the past. What makes dried chillies so particular is that the drying course of concentrates the distinctive flavours within the chilli’s cell partitions, encouraging them to react with one another and create actually intense flavours.
A superb place to begin is the ancho chilli. They’re created from dried poblano peppers and should not significantly spicy, however they pack an acidic, fruity flavour. For intense chilli warmth, strive the arbol chilli. On the Scoville scale, which is a measure of chilli warmth, they usually rank six occasions hotter than a jalapeño! Chipotle chillies are created from smoked and dried purple jalapeños, and are hotter than the ancho, however not fairly as sizzling because the arbol. Pasilla chillies have a famously wrinkled pores and skin, and are a key flavour in Mexican mole sauce.
To arrange dried chillies, take away stems and seeds and rehydrate in both sizzling water or simply by including them to a braise. You can too toast them in a dry sizzling pan earlier than utilizing in recipes, to deliver out their smokiness.
The feel of good-quality dried chillies ought to remind you of dried fruit, like raisins – so nonetheless gentle and pliable, relatively than brittle and crisp. Preserve them in hermetic containers within the darkest a part of your meals cabinet.
