Spice Up Your Life: The Magic of Mexican Chilies

Chiles as flavor, not just heat

Chiles are the fruit of plants in the genus Capsicum, domesticated in the Americas, and they are central to Mexican cooking. It is easy to treat them as a way to add heat, but cooks use them mainly for flavor: fruity, smoky, earthy, grassy, bitter or sweet. Heat is one dimension, and it differs greatly between types, between individual pods, and even between seasons.

Capsaicin is the compound responsible for the burning sensation. It concentrates in the white inner ribs and, to a lesser extent, the seeds. Heat is often compared using the Scoville scale, but published ranges are broad and approximate, so this article uses descriptions such as mild, medium and hot rather than numbers.

Fresh chiles

Fresh chiles are usually harvested green and sometimes left to turn red.

• Jalapeño. Medium heat, thick flesh and a bright, grassy taste. Used in salsas, pickles and stuffed dishes.
• Serrano. Thinner and usually hotter than jalapeño, with a clean, sharp heat. Common in raw salsas and pico de gallo.
• Poblano. Large and typically mild, with a rich, slightly earthy flavor. Roasted and peeled for chiles rellenos, strips (rajas) and creamy sauces. Heat can vary from one pod to the next.
• Habanero. Very hot, with a fruity, floral aroma. Associated with the Yucatan, and often used in small amounts.
• Chile de arbol and others. Thin, hot chiles, sold both fresh and dried.

Dried chiles

Drying concentrates flavor and often changes it entirely, which is why the same chile may have two names. A fresh poblano becomes an ancho when dried, and a fresh jalapeño that has been smoked and dried becomes a chipotle. Chile names can differ by region, which can be confusing, so descriptions are more reliable than labels.

• Ancho. Wide, wrinkled and dark red-brown. Mild to medium, with notes of raisin, plum and a little chocolate. Common in red sauces and moles.
• Guajillo. Smooth, long and deep red. Mild to medium heat with a tangy, berry-like and slightly tea-like flavor. A staple for adobos and soups.
• Pasilla. Long, dark and thin-skinned. Mild to medium, with herbal, cocoa and dried-fruit notes.
• Mulato. Similar to ancho but darker and a touch sweeter. Often paired with ancho and pasilla in moles.
• Chipotle. Smoked jalapeño, sold dried or canned in adobo sauce. Smoky and medium to hot.
• Chile de arbol. Slender, bright red and hot, with a clean, sharp heat.

A broader grouping of dried chiles in the pantry supports much of what is called red sauce cooking, along with the long-simmered sauces known as moles.

Choosing and storing dried chiles

Good dried chiles are flexible and slightly leathery, not brittle or dusty, and they smell fruity rather than musty. If they snap like dry leaves, they are old. Store them in a sealed container away from heat and light. They generally keep for several months, though flavor fades with time. Discard any that show mold or have insect damage.

Preparing dried chiles

The usual sequence is simple:

1. Wipe the chiles with a damp cloth, then cut off the stems and shake out the seeds. Removing the seeds and veins lowers the heat.
2. Toast briefly in a dry pan or on a comal griddle, pressing the chile flat. This takes seconds, and the chile should only become fragrant. Scorched chiles turn bitter, and bitter chile ruins a sauce.
3. Soak in hot (not boiling) water until soft, often 15 to 30 minutes.
4. Blend with a little of the soaking liquid, then strain if the sauce should be smooth. The soaking water can taste bitter, so taste it before adding more than a small amount.

The details of toasting chiles and rehydrating are covered in their own article.

Handling chiles safely

Capsaicin is an irritant, and it can burn skin and eyes long after you have finished cooking.

• Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot chiles, especially habanero and chile de arbol.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or face, and wash your hands, knife and board well with soap afterwards. Oil and soap work better than water alone.
• Open a window or turn on a fan when toasting dried chiles. The fumes from hot chiles in a pan can cause coughing and burning eyes.
• Keep chiles away from children and pets, and label chile-based products clearly.
• If your mouth burns, dairy products, starchy foods like tortillas or rice, and a little sugar tend to help more than water.

Heat in balance

Cooks manage heat by choosing the chile type, removing seeds, and combining chiles. Mild chiles such as ancho and guajillo can carry a sauce with plenty of flavor and modest heat, while a few chiles de arbol add sharpness. A squeeze of lime, a spoonful of crema or a mild salsa made with tomatillos can soften the effect. People’s tolerance for heat varies, and it is reasonable to start small and add more.