Ancho Chile Pepper

Ancho Chile Pepper = (incorrectly) Pasilla Chile Pronunciation: AHN-choh Notes: These are dried
poblano peppers, and very commonly used in Mexican cuisine. They're brownish-black and
wrinkled. Substitutes: mulato (darker with earthier, more pungent flavor) OR pasilla chile OR
California chile OR dried New Mexico chile peppers
California Chile Notes: These are dried Anaheim chiles, very mild. Substitutes: dried New Mexico
chile peppers (a bit hotter)
Cascabel Pepper = Rattle Chile = Bola Chile = Chile Bola These are nicknamed rattle chiles because
the seeds rattle when you shake them. They're a rich brown color and moderately
hot. Substitutes: GUAJILLO CHILE OR PEQUIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR TEPIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR
CAYENNE PEPPER (hotter)
Catarina Chile = Catarina Pepper Notes: This Mexican chile is used to make tamales, marinades,
stews and soups.
Cayenne Pepper = Ginnie Pepper Notes: These are very hot, bright red chiles. Recipes
that call for cayenne pepper may be referring to a ground powder that goes by the same name, or
to the fresh version of the pepper. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR guajillo
Chilhuacle Negro Chile Notes: This excellent Mexican chile is loaded with flavor but hard
to find. It's used to make mole negro and bean dishes.
Chilcostle chile This Mexican chile is used in soups, stews, tamales, and mole sauces.
Chile De Arbol = Arbol Chile = Red Chile Pronunciation: are-bowl Notes: Unlike
many chiles, these remain bright red even after drying. They're fairly hot. Don't confuse the
dried version with the fresh, which goes by the same name. Substitutes: cayenne pepper OR
pequin chiles
Chipotle Pepper (Chile) = Smoked Jalapeno Pepper = Chile Seco
Pronunciation: chuh-POT-lay Notes: These lend a wonderful smoky flavor to sauces. They're usually
canned in adobo sauce, but you can also buy the dried peppers in cellophane bags. Substitutes: (for
chipotles in adobo sauce) 1 tablespoon catsup + 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 jalapeno pepper OR
morita (smaller) OR mora OR ancho (larger and milder)
Costeño Amarillo chile This Mexican chile is used to make soups, stews, and mole sauces.
Guajillo Chile Pronunciation: gwah-hee-yoh notes: these moderately hot chiles are smooth, shiny,
and reddish-brown. they have a tough skin, so they need to be soaked longer than other
chiles. substitutes: cascabels (rounder and shorter) or new Mexico Chiles or California Chiles (milder)
habanero (habañero) chile (or pepper) Pronunciation: hah-bah-NYAIRoh Notes: Don't confuse dried habaneros with the fresh version, which goes by
the same name. These extremely hot chiles are wrinkled and
orange. Substitutes: chile de Arbol
Japanese dried chile
mirasol chile (dried) Substitutes: chile de Arbol
mora chile Notes: This is a smoked and dried red jalapeno
pepper. Substitutes: chipotle chile OR morita chile (smaller)
morita pepper Notes: Like the larger mora chile, this
is a smoked and dried red jalapeno. Substitutes: chipotle
(larger) OR mora chile (larger)
mulato chile = mulatto chile Pronunciation: mooLAH-toe Notes: This very popular chile looks like the
ancho, but it's darker and sweeter. It's fairly mild and has
an earthy flavor. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter)
New Mexico red chile = New Mexican chile = chiles de
ristra Notes: These chiles have an earthy flavor and
resemble the California chile, only they're hotter and more
flavorful. Substitutes: California chile OR ancho chile
Onza roja chile This is used in sauces and soups.
pasilla chile = chile negro = pasilla
negro Pronunciation: puh-SEE-yuh Notes: This is the
dried version of the chilaca chile. It's long, black, and
wrinkled, and a standard ingredient in mole sauces. Ancho
chiles are sometimes mislabeled as
pasillas. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter) OR mulato
chile (stronger, earthier flavor)
pequin pepper = piquin pepper Pronunciation: payKEEN Notes: These small red peppers are fairly
hot. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR tepin OR cayenne OR
cascabel
piri piri pepper Substitutes: malagueta peppers
piquin pepper See pequin pepper.
puya chile = pulla chile Pronunciation: POO-yuh
Notes: This is similar to the guajillo chile, only smaller and
more potent. It has a fruity flavor that's good in salsas and
stews.
rattle chile See cascabel pepper.
red chile See chile de arbol.
smoked jalapeno peppers See cayenne pepper.
tepin (tepín) = chiltpin (chiltpín) = chiltepin
(chiltepín) = chiltecpin (chiltecpín) Notes: These
look a bit like large dried cranberries. They're also
sold fresh. Substitutes: pequin OR cascabel OR
cayenne
dried chiles = dried chilies
= dried peppers
ají panca chile = aji panca chile Notes: This
reddish-brown chile is fruity and mild.
ancho chile pepper = (incorrectly) pasilla
chile Pronunciation: AHN-choh Notes: These are
dried poblano peppers, and very commonly used in
Mexican cuisine. They're brownish-black and
wrinkled. Substitutes: mulato (darker with earthier,
more pungent flavor) OR pasilla chile OR California
chile OR dried New Mexico chile peppers
arbol chile See chile de arbol.
bola chile See cascabel pepper.
California chile Notes: These are dried
Anaheim chiles, very
mild. Substitutes: dried New Mexico
chile peppers (a bit hotter)
cascabel pepper = rattle chile = bola
chile = chile bola These are nicknamed
rattle chiles because the seeds rattle when
you shake them. They're a rich brown
color and moderately
hot. Substitutes: GUAJILLO CHILE OR
PEQUIN PEPPER (much hotter) OR TEPIN
PEPPER (much hotter) OR CAYENNE PEPPER
(hotter)
Catarina chile = Catarina pepper
Notes: This Mexican chile is used to
make tamales, marinades, stews and soups.
cayenne pepper = Ginnie pepper Notes: These are very hot, bright red chiles. Recipes
that call for cayenne pepper may be referring to a ground powder that goes by the same name,
or to the fresh version of the pepper. Substitutes: chile de Arbol OR guajillo
Chilhuacle negro chile Notes: This excellent
Mexican chile is loaded with flavor but hard to
find. It's used to make mole negro and bean dishes.
Chilcostle chile This Mexican chile is used in soups,
stews, tamales, and mole sauces.
chile bola See cascabel pepper.
chile de arbol = arbol chile = red chile Pronunciation: AREbowl Notes: Unlike many chiles, these remain bright red even after
drying. They're fairly hot. Don't confuse the dried version with the
fresh, which goes by the same name. Substitutes: cayenne pepper
OR pequin chiles
chile negro See pasilla chile.
chiles de ristra See New Mexico red chile.
chile seco See chipotle pepper
chiltecpin See tepin.
chiltepin See tepin.
chiltpin See tepin.
chipotle pepper (chile) = smoked jalapeno pepper = chile
seco Pronunciation: chuh-POT-lay Notes: These lend a
wonderful smoky flavor to sauces. They're usually canned in
adobo sauce, but you can also buy the dried peppers in cellophane
bags. Substitutes: (for chipotles in adobo sauce) 1 tablespoon
catsup + 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 jalapeno pepper OR
morita (smaller) OR mora OR ancho (larger and milder)
Costeño Amarillo chile This Mexican chile is used to make
soups, stews, and mole sauces.
Ginnie pepper See cayenne pepper.
guajillo chile Pronunciation: gwah-HEEyoh Notes: These moderately hot chiles are smooth,
shiny, and reddish-brown. They have a tough skin, so
they need to be soaked longer than other
chiles. Substitutes: cascabels (rounder and shorter)
OR New Mexico chiles OR California chiles (milder)
habanero (habañero) chile (or
pepper) Pronunciation: hah-bah-NYAIRoh Notes: Don't confuse dried habaneros with the
fresh version, which goes by the same name. These
extremely hot chiles are wrinkled and
orange. Substitutes: chile de Arbol
Japanese dried chile
mirasol chile (dried) Substitutes: chile de Arbol
mora chile Notes: This is a smoked and dried red jalapeno
pepper. Substitutes: chipotle chile OR morita chile (smaller)
morita pepper Notes: Like the larger mora chile, this
is a smoked and dried red jalapeno. Substitutes: chipotle
(larger) OR mora chile (larger)
mulato chile = mulatto chile Pronunciation: mooLAH-toe Notes: This very popular chile looks like the
ancho, but it's darker and sweeter. It's fairly mild and has
an earthy flavor. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter)
New Mexico red chile = New Mexican chile = chiles de
ristra Notes: These chiles have an earthy flavor and
resemble the California chile, only they're hotter and more
flavorful. Substitutes: California chile OR ancho chile
Onza roja chile This is used in sauces and soups.
pasilla chile = chile negro = pasilla
negro Pronunciation: puh-SEE-yuh Notes: This is the
dried version of the chilaca chile. It's long, black, and
wrinkled, and a standard ingredient in mole sauces. Ancho
chiles are sometimes mislabeled as
pasillas. Substitutes: ancho chile (sweeter) OR mulato
chile (stronger, earthier flavor)
pequin pepper = piquin
pepper Pronunciation: payKEEN Notes: These small red peppers
are fairly hot. Substitutes: chile de
Arbol OR tepin OR cayenne OR
cascabel
piri piri pepper Substitutes: malagueta peppers
piquin pepper See pequin pepper.
puya chile = pulla chile Pronunciation: POO-yuh
Notes: This is similar to the guajillo chile, only smaller and
more potent. It has a fruity flavor that's good in salsas and
stews.
rattle chile See cascabel pepper.
red chile See chile de arbol.
smoked jalapeno peppers See cayenne pepper.
tepin (tepín) = chiltpin (chiltpín) =
chiltepin (chiltepín) = chiltecpin
(chiltecpín) Notes: These look a bit like large
dried cranberries. They're also sold fresh.
Substitutes: pequin OR cascabel OR cayenne
General Notes:
Smaller peppers are usually hotter than larger peppers.
Peppers often become hotter as they ripen, and hotter still when they're dried.
peppers tend to have a richer, more concentrated flavour.
To tone down the heat of a pepper, cut it open and remove the seeds and the white
ribs.
When working with peppers, wear rubber gloves or, in a pinch, coat your hands with
vegetable oil. Wash your hands carefully afterwards.
Chiles don't freeze well.