Jalapeño
| Jalapeño | |
|---|---|
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| Species: | C. annuum
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| Binomial name | |
| Capsicum annuum | |
| Jalapeño | |
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| Heat | Medium (SR: 2,500-8,000) |
The jalapeño is a small to medium-sized chile pepper that is prized for the hot, burning sensation that it produces in the mouth when eaten. Ripe, the jalapeño can be 2-3.5 inches and either red or more commonly green. It is a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum. The name jalapeño is pronounced IPA: [hɑləˈpeɪnjoʊ] or IPA: [hæləˈpeɪnjoʊ] in English, and IPA: [xalaˈpeɲo] in the original Spanish. It is named after the city of Xalapa, Veracruz where it was traditionally produced. 160 square kilometres are dedicated for the cultivation of jalapeno in Mexico alone; primarily in the Paloapán river basin in the north of the state of Veracruz and in the Delicias, Chihuahua area. Jalapeno is also cultivated in smaller scale in Jalisco, Nayarit, Sonora, Sinaloa and Chiapas.
Culinary properties
In comparison with other chile peppers, it has a heat level that varies from mild to hot depending on how it was grown and how it was prepared. Most sources agree that the heat, due to capsaicin and related compounds, is concentrated in the seeds and the veins — deseeding and deveining can reduce the heat imparted to a recipe that includes jalapeños. They also have a distinct acidic taste. The jalapeño rates between 2,500 and 10,000 Scoville units in heat. Handling fresh jalapeños may cause skin burns - wear latex or vinyl gloves while cutting, skinning, or seeding jalapeños, and never touch your eyes after handling hot peppers.
Trivia
A moustached "jalapeño" wearing mariachi sombrero called "Pique" was the 1986 FIFA World Cup mascot. "Pique" comes from Picante which is a Spanish adjective that derives from picar, which means "to sting", referring to the feeling caused by salsas on one's tongue.
Dishes
- A chipotle is a jalapeño that has been smoked. It is often found in adobo sauce.
- Jalapeño jelly, while not commercially available in as wide an area as other jalapeño products, can be prepared in a method similar to other jellies.[1] [2]
- Jalapeños are a common ingredient in most kinds of salsa.
- Armadillo eggs are stuffed jalapeños, a popular 1990s American dish.[3]
See also
External links
