Types of Dried Chillies
Chillies are a fruit that is native to Central America, and its cultivation dates back to 5000 BC. Chillies are dried to preserve the flavour so that people can use them even after cultivation season is over. When chillies are dried, they get a unique flavour and can be used in a diverse way. There are different kinds of dried chillies originating from different parts of the world and today we are listing a few of them below –
- Chiles de Arbol
Chiles de Arbol are small and bright red chillies that are commonly found in Mexico. They don’t have much flavour, instead used to add hotness to the stews, sauces, and soups. Typically, they are added as whole in different kinds of dishes. The transaction of chiles de Arbol in Spanish is simply dried chillies.
- Ancho and Mulato Chillies
Poblano chillies are dried to form ancho chillies, which becomes redder. The other form of these chillies is Mulato has almost black in colour. The ancho and Mulato are hotter as opposed to the fresh poblano chillies. These chillies are used in a wide variety in different regions of the world.
- Pasilla Chillies
Pasilla chillies are thin, long and almost black in colour. They are also extremely hot and not recommended to people who cannot tolerate spice. These have a distinctive flavour; this is slightly astringent. Pasilla chillies are perfect to balance rich sauces and heavy stews. These are often stuffed with meat and cheese.
- Chipotle Chillies
Chipotle chillies are dried, ripe, and smoked jalapeno peppers. These are slightly sweet and extremely hot with a strong smoky flavour. These are popularly sold dried. However, you can get in a packed can with vinegary tomato sauce known as adobo. These are extremely spicy and have a lot of flavours.
- Pequin Chillies
Pequin chillies are also called as little chilles or chillies pequenos. They are quite tiny merely half an inch in length. These are bright red in colours and have a sweet and smoky flavour. They are commonly used whole in various sauces or stews to add a strong flavour. They are quite popular in Mexico and India.
- Guajillo
Guajillo is another commonly used dried chillies in Mexico. It is quite cheaper than other types of dried chillies. They have smooth and dark-red skin accompanied with purple tones. Guajillo is quite long and narrow around 5 to 6 inches and 1 1/2 inches in width. It can be fairly hot with a sharp yet pleasant flavour. They are commonly grounded with other ingredients in order to make cooking sauce or seasoning paste.
Dried chillies due to their distinctive flavour are used more than the fresh chillies. Often the dried chillies have different names than the fresh ones like we saw above. Dried chillies can be used in different ways and in a variety of dishes. Above are some of the most popular dried chillies from different parts of the world. To get the most of these chillies, it is important that you learn about them prior to using them in the cooking.
