The dictionary describes chili peppers as a small variety of capsicum pod which is hot and spicy.
Chili peppers especially those types of chili peppers which are extremely hot to eat are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they deserve to be tried at least once in your lifetime.
Types of Chili Peppers
Chili peppers range in their taste from only flavorant types to really hot chili peppers. The new varieties of them are being developed every day.
The list of the types of chili peppers is huge, and here we will try and get you acquainted with as many types of chili peppers as we can. The list goes as follows:
1) Padron
These chilies are loved in Spain. They have delicate skin and a mild flavor to them.
2) Sonora
It is a mild flavored chili which is long and narrow in its appearance.
3) Guernica
It is a native of Spain and has no heat. It is similar to Padron pepper just bigger.
4) Poblano
This chili has a super dark flesh which though is green but often appears to be black. The flavor ranges from mellow to slightly hot at times.
5) Fresno
These are delicious and light in flavor. They have an extremely thick skin and thus, are not great for dried consumption.
6) Guindilla Verde
These re-tender types and have a sweet flavor. These are very similar in flavor to hatch chiles but are not as hot.
7) Hungarian Wax
A native of Hungary which is quite similar to Jalapenos in taste but is shaped like a banana.
8) Hot Banana
These peppers can range from mild heat to slightly hot ones in flavor.
9) Chilaca
A Mexican native with the color of skin ranging from dark green to shades of really deep brown. These have a lightly hot flavor and can be enjoyed by all.
10) Jalapeno
The jalapenos have a thick and meaty skin which has a hot and sour flavor. The dried version of these peppers is used to form Chipotle.
11) Serrano
These peppers might look small but are astringent in flavor. Do not use them as a substitute to other chilies as they might be too hot.
12) Aji Rojo
This pepper is almost a replica of cayenne pepper and is reddish orange in color. These are majorly popular in Peruvian style of cooking.
13) Chile de Arbol
These chilies unlike others have a non-alkaline character and are not so hot.
14) Basque Fryer
It is a native of French. These peppers don’t add heat but have a zesty flavor. They are often red and sweet.
15) Hatch Chile Pepper
These curved and long peppers come in various shapes and sizes. Their hotness varies from slight heat to fiery hot flavors.
16) Anaheim
These mildly flavored chilies are sweet at times and have a spicy kick to them. They are usually thin and long with green skin.
17) Cayenne
This pepper is green in the beginning and turns red by maturity. It can be consumed both fresh and ground. It has a hot flavor which becomes richer as it matures.
18) Piri Piri
Chili with a red-orange hue from Africa. It has a thin skin and a hot, sour flavor to it.
19) Candlelight Pepper
These are beautiful decorator plants which can also be consumed. They come in various bright colors like red, orange and bright shades of yellow.
20) Peter Pepper
These peppers have a unique shape. They are yellow or red and have a mild flavor.
21) Cascabella
These have ample heat, and the color varies from red, yellow to orange but, are majorly consumed during the yellow phase.
22) Beaver Dam Pepper
These plum looking chilies are spice yet have a kick of sweetness which makes it a popular pick.
23) Kung Pao Pepper
It is a hybrid with an amazing mild and hot flavor. They are thin and resemble cayenne pepper.
24) Ancho Chile Pepper
These are the ripened Poblano’s and are much hotter than the raw versions.
25) Mulato
These peppers are mellow and hot and find their major usage in Mexican food delicacies.
26) Aleppo Pepper
It is used as a spice in the middle eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
27) Chimayo Chile
These are unpredictable peppers usually grown as ornamentals. Their dirt and pepper are both considered sacred.
28) Ho Chi Minh Hot Pepper
These peppers are hot to taste and have a hue of bright yellow to them.
29) HinkelHatz Hot Pepper
These peppers are red and even yellow at times.
30) Tobasco
You all must be aware of the famous hot sauce called Tobasco. So, you know exactly how Tobasco tastes.
31) Puya Chile Pepper
This is native of Mexico with really hot flavors.
32) Sandiya Hot Pepper
These long and slender green peppers turn red with maturity and as they mature the heat increases.
33) Thai Chile
Thai chili is not big but is rather small in size. It has a thin peel, and the ends are pointed. It is also called the Birds Eye.
34) Paprika Supreme
These fleshed red peppers have slight hotness to them. They are often ground and sold as chili powders.
35) Cacho de Cabra
These mild hot peppers look like the goat horns, and that is what their name means too.
36) Santa Fe Grande
These chilies have a slight heat to them with a hint of sweetness. They come in beautiful hues of yellow and range until bright orange.
37) Numex R Naky
These are hot peppers which are a type of the Anaheim variety.
38) Paprika Chile Pepper
This pepper is generally high in heat and is cone-shaped and big.
39) Habanero
A lantern-shaped chili which ranges in color from pale green to bright orange. It can add more than just satisfactory hotness to any or all delicacies it is added to.
40) Carmen Italian Sweet Pepper
Its name suggests its shape, i.e., like the horns of a bull. They are shiny in appearance, and their shades range from red or green.
41) Scotch Bonnet
These are a native of the Caribbean. Their hot taste leaves a long aftertaste which makes this a little infamous.
42) Peppadew
A South African native, the peppadew has a wonderful blend of sweetness with its flavourful spicy taste. The seeds of this pepper can be removed to achieve a milder subtleness to its flavor.
43) Italian pepperoncini
These peppers are mildly hot with a slight bitterness to it. These are generally jarred and sold.
44) Italian Long Hots
A native for Italian home cooking, this pepper has slight heat to it.
45) Trinidad Perfume pepper
This pepper has almost no heat and looks similar to habanero pepper.
46) Cubanelle Chili Pepper
This pepper has a heat level of mild and can range up to slightly hot. It is still counted amongst the sweet peppers though.
47) Piquillo
A Spanish native chili pepper which though looks and feels like the chili but has a flavor almost similar to the bell peppers.
48) Bolivian Rainbow
These hot peppers are a native of Bolivia and due to their cute miniature structure are also often used as decoration plants.
49) Guajillo
These hot chilies are usually sold dry. They have a leathery and thick skin; thus, the process of drying takes long. They have a hot taste and need time to reach their optimum flavors when soaked.
50) Bhut Jolokia
This type of pepper is also called ghost pepper. It is a native of India and should always be used with caution as it has an extremely bold taste to it.
51) Carolina Reaper
This one is considered to be the world’s hottest pepper at the moment. Just a warning if you are not a pepper person, don’t even think of consuming it raw.
52) Shishito
This thin walled pepper has a mildly hot and sweet flavor.
53) Chipotle
These little-dried jalapenos are a blast of flavors in your mouth.
Some other varieties of the chili peppers which are not so common are:
- Bahamian Peppers
- Aji pineapple Peppers
- Aji Panca
- Bolivian Rain Chili Peppers
- Charleston Hot chili peppers
- Corno Di Toro Giallo Pepper
- Devils Tongue Chilli Pepper
Health Benefits of Chili Peppers
These mouthwatering flavors which can very well make your eyes watery too are not just hot but can be extremely beneficial for your health as well.
Some of the benefits have been listed below:
1) These are rich in antioxidants thus, help in maintaining a healthy heart. Antioxidants are known to help you maintain beautiful skin.
2) These are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin K1, vitamin B6, vitamin C and also potassium.
3) They are known to promote weight loss when consumed with a healthy and balanced diet.
4) They help in reducing and at times eroding nasal congestion.
5) Chili peppers are known to be a great source of iron and copper which help in the formation of red blood cells.
Conclusion
Chili peppers not only spice up your daily meal but, also add a pinch of health benefits to every delicacy they are consumed with. They truly add an amazing taste and zing to every dish along with a blast of health benefits.
Even if you are not a chili person, then the other types of chilis which are less hot can help you enjoy the flavor and the benefits of this slender and petite vegetable.