FRESH CHILES

JALAPEÑO Heat: 5-6
The name derives from Jalapa, Veracruz. These familiar peppers are cylindrical in shape and about 2 ½ inches long and 1 inch wide. Whether raw, dry or pickled, these shiny, dark green chiles are perfect for salsas and cooked sauces.

HABANERO Heat: 10
These are Mexico’s hottest chiles. The delicate looking green, yellow and orange "lanterns" are prized by the Yucatecos for their hotter-than-heck fire. They range in crispness from green, the crispest, to orange, the softest. The special fruity flavor compliments fresh salsas made with tropical fruits.

SERRANO Heat: 7-8
The serrano pepper is a very hot chile, falling between the jalapeño and the habenero. Used often in salsas and table sauces, the serrano is easy to work with because of its thin skin.

POBLANO Heat: 3
Like many chiles, poblanos are initially green and ripen to a dark red. They are large, roughly 3 1/2 inches long and 2 1/4 inches wide, and sometimes heart-shaped. Although not very hot, poblanos have a rich, earthy flavor that is intensified when the chiles are roasted and peeled. Often, stuffed chiles (chiles rellenos), rajas (toppings), sauces and soups draw flavor and spice from the poblano.

CHILACA Heat: 4-5
This long, narrow green chile is almost blackish-green in color. It is the fresh version of the pasilla chile and has a complex, fruity flavor.

DRIED CHILES

CASCABEL Heat: 4
The word means “rattle,” referring to the distinctive noise this chile makes when you shake it. It is small and round with a smooth, almost polished red surface. It is pleasantly hot and spices up many table sauces.

CHIPOTLE Heat: 5-6
The chipotle is a large, dried, smoked jalapeño, also known as a chile ahumado or a chile meco. It is coffee brown in color, veined and ridged, measuring about 2 to 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. The flesh is a medium thickness with a smoky flavor and subtle, deep, rounded heat. As much as one-fifth of the Mexican jalapeño crop is processed as chipotles. Used mainly in soups, salsas, and sauces, chipotles are a staple of Mexican and Southwestern cooking. They are also available canned in a red adobo sauce.

GUAJILLO Heat: 3
The word literally means “big pod.” The burgundy chile is elongated and triangular in shape. It is one of the most frequently used chiles in Mexico, with a crisp, sharp flavor that ranges from fairly hot to hot.

PASILLA Heat: 3
A long, narrow chile, the pasilla is blunt or slightly pointed at the end. It has a shiny black skin and grows to about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide. Pasillas’ sharp, rich flavor is excellent for soups, as well as moles and adobos.

PASILLA DE OAXACA Heat: 8
This unique and delicious chile is grown in isolated valleys of Oaxaca, and only in small quantities. It ripens on the plant and is smoked under rustic conditions. The skin is wrinkled, but shiny, and the chile is very hot.

CHILE DE ÁRBOL Heat: 7-8
This dried chile is smooth, thin, long and bright red in color. It has a sharp hot flavor that is often featured in hot table sauces. When ground into a powder form, the chile de árbol doubles as a spicy condiment.

MULATO Heat: 2
This chile’s name refers to its dark color. While these chiles begin a dark green color, they are most valuable (and most flavorful) when fully ripened to a rich brown. Mulatos range from mild to fairly hot. The sweetish taste and color are perfect for mole poblano.

ANCHO Heat: 3
The most abundant dried chile in Mexico, the ancho is a dried red poblano with a fruity, slightly sharp flavor. When rehydrated, anchos make great stuffed chiles (chiles rellenos), but should not be peeled first.