Everything You Wanted To Know About Chilli Varieties S-Z

On this page I'll investigate chilli varieties in the alphabetical group S-Z.


Scotch Bonnet Capsicum chinense

Description: The Scotch Bonnet ripens from a light green through yellow to an eventual orange or red. The shape is reminiscent of the old-style bonnets worn in the 1800s and the name is derived from this.

Heat Level: 7-9 out of 10 (100,000-500,000 Scovilles)

Flavour: Scotch Bonnets are famous in the West Indies for their tropical fruit flavours which accounts for much of their popularity. To experience this without experiencing just the burn, cut one open, remove all the pith and seeds and try a few slivers of the flesh. You should be able to pick such flavours as papaya, mango, possibly coconut, and sometimes apricot. Just beautiful.

Use: Fresh, whatever you do, use them fresh wherever possible. The flavour loss in dried fruit is massive. Scotch Bonnets in general are too hot for me with the pith in, so I always remove it and simply enjoy the flavour in salsas. I also make an extremely simple sauce blending the flesh with balsamic vinegar and have always loved the result.

Growing: are a hardy variety and will easily grow in the conditions set out in my growing your own chillies pages. Typical yield for the squat, dark green plants is in the order of 15 fruit though 30+ is not unheard of.

Serrano Capsicum annuum

Description

Serrano is a Spanish word, sort of an adjective, that translates out as of mountain origin or from the mountains

The fruit of the serrano chilli are short, bluntly pointed and probably best described as bullet-shaped. They range from 3-8 cm long and about 1 cm across. The fruit appear in both erect and pendant attitudes on the plant.

The plants range in height from about 1 to 1½ metres with leaves varying in colour from light to dark green and are pubescent (hairy).

Heat Level: 5 out of 10 (12,000-15,000 Scovilles)

Use: In Australia, the serrano is most commonly available pickled in jars or tins, predominantly in gourmet shops. I've certainly never seen them in supermarkets or asian stores. In this form they are used wherever you require chillies in a recipe, or eaten as part of an hors d'oeuvre platter.

If you can get them fresh, they are one of the ultimate salsa chillies, chopped up or minced.

Growing: Serranos are a hardy variety and you should have no trouble growing them in the conditions set out in my growing your own chillies pages.

In good condition the serrano is a prolific producer and off a healthy, two year old plant you may pick several dozen fruit over the season.

Of course, once you do, head to my preserving your chillies page to learn how to keep your harvest if you don't use them all fresh.

Tabasco Capsicum frutescens
Description: The name tabasco comes of course form the name of the Mexican state, Tabasco, which is located on the western edge of the Yucatan peninsula, directly south of the Gulf of Mexico. This is by far the best known variety of the frutescens variety. Other frutescens varieties around the world are commonly called bird chillies.

Yes, this is the chilli that the famous Tabasco brand hot sauce is made from.

The fruit of the tabasco are short and bluntly pointed. If you think this sounds similar to the serrano, you're right, however, if you compare the picture of each one you can see that the tabasco is shorter, 3-5cm, and more conical in overall outline. While blunt, they're not as blunt as the serrano.

Alos, as for the serrano, the fruit are erect.

The plants vary greatly in height and this may be reflected by the climate. Unlike the serrano, the leaves are not pubescent (hairy).

Heat Level: 6 out of 10 (30,000-50,000 Scovilles)

Use: They are a thin skinned variety so predominantly provide heat with little associated flavour

Growing: Tabascos are a hardy variety and you should have no trouble growing them with the methods described in the chilli growing pages.

Thai Capsicum frutescens
Description:
The Thai chilli (also known as bird's eye) is common across south-east asia in a huge number of varieties that have become well known under the common banner of Thai due to the widespread popularity of Thai cuisine in the eighties.

The Thai name for these little chillies is prik kee noo which literally translates out as mouse shit chillies. I've read a number of different stories but the one I fond believable is the one stating that their shape is similiar to that of the mouse droppings. My best mate works in Thailand currently so I'll put it to him to find out for us.

The fruit of the Thai are short, 2-7cm, and conical, tapering to a sharp point. The fruit generally grow erect but there are also a number of pendant varieties.

The plants vary in height, from ½m to 1½m, and vary in habit from small, tight bushes the larger, more open style. All have smooth, dark green leaves.

Heat Level: 6 out of 10 (30,000-50,000 Scovilles)

Use: As for the tabasco, they are a thin skinned variety so predominantly provide heat with little associated flavour

Growing: Tabascos are a hardy variety and you should have no trouble growing them with the methods described in the chilli growing pages.