Chilis of the Caribbean

This region is known for liberal use of stingingly hot chilis, but also includes some that are surprisingly mild. Some of these chilis have been carried far and wide, to the extent the predominant chilis in West Africa are the Caribbean Habanero and Scotch Bonnet..

We include here all the islands of the Caribbean, despite their differences. While most make liberal use of hot chilis, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico favor mild chilis. We also include the mainland countries of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Their populations are concentrated on the Caribbean Coast, and they are inextricably tied to the cultures and cuisines of the Caribbean. They are in the Hot Chilis camp.

More on Chili Peppers.

Some chilis of the region are called "Aji" (pronounced Ah-hee). This word is from the Taino word "axí". The Taino were the original inhabitants of much of the Caribbean, but were driven almost extinct by Spanish cruelty and diseases they brought.

Aji Dulce

This chili is a variety of the fiercely hot Scotch Bonnet, but very mild. It still has the tropical fruity taste of the Scotch Bonnets and Habaneros. It is much used in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Dominican Republic where hot chilis are not much appreciated. In South America it is most widely used in Venezuela, but also in Colombia on the Caribbean coast. In some recipes of this coastal region, a number of Aji Dulce will be combined with one hot Scotch Bonnet or Habanero.   Photo by Portorricensis contributed to the Public Domain .

Aji Dulce Paste

While fresh Aji Dulce Chilis are hard to acquire in most regions, and do not store long, there is an Aji Dulce Paste available on-line, made in Venezuela. Ing: Sweet Peppers, Onions, Beet, Garlic, salt, vegetable oil (soybean), vinegar, citric acid.

Aji Caballero

This Chili is unusual in having such a low hotness level for a C. frutescens Bird Pepper (Scoville 30,000 to 35,000 - most are Scoville 100,000 and up). In Puerto Rico, this is the preferred chili for the essential table condiment Pique. It is not always available even there, so chilis like the Jamaican Bird Pepper are also used. Here in North America, we will use the ubiquitous Thai Chili, closer to the Jamaican in hotness.   Photo by Portorricensis contributed to the Public Domain .

Jamaican Bird Pepper

This Chili is unusual in that it ripens point-up like other Bird Peppers, but is C. annum rather than C. frutescens. It is used in Jamaica where it first became popular, but is also used elsewhere in the Caribbean where hot chilis are enjoyed. It's heat level is H9. The C. frutescens Bird Chilis are generally H10 and produce for many years, while the Jamaican will produce for only one year. Bird Chilis of any kind are not much available in North America, so here everyone uses the ubiquitous Thai Chili, which is a Cayenne type, as is the Jamaican, and is similarly hot.

Thai Chilis - Prik Ki Nu

Not a Carribean Chili. Thai Chilis are the chilis universally used as "small fresh chili", green or red, by all the ethnic communities here in Southern California. It is also displacing Bird Chilis in other parts of the world due to being easier to grow and harvest, so it's probably grown in the Caribbean by now.

It is small, often less than 1-3/4 inches long as grown in Thailand, but there are many varieties and those grown in California are often up to 2-3/4 inches (more efficient to grow and harvest larger sizes). They are narrow, pointy and start growing point up, but turn downward as they reach full size. They turn from green to red when ripe (they may be somewhat orange in between). They are very hot ( H8 to H9), slightly less hot when red ripe, and a little less than that when dried. Fully red ripe prik ki nu dry very well. Those imported from Thailand tend to be hotter than if you dried those grown in California. Some minor varieties are black if in full sun, turning bright orange when ripe.

Cubanelle

This chili is very much favored in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Venezuela, regions where hot chilis are not appreciated. It can surprise, though. While usually solidly within H1,it can occasionally get to the high end of H2. They are usually harvested while still yellow-green, but turn bright red if allowed to fully ripen. They have rather thin walls and thin skins, and grow to about 6 inches long.   For details and substitutes, see our Cubanelle Chili page.   Photo by United States Department of Agriculture = public domain.

Habanero

Originally from the Yucatán of Mexico, These extremely hot chilis (H10) are one of the most important chilis in the Caribbean Islands, and are similarly important along the Caribbean coast. They come in Green, Red, Orange and Yellow, with White, Purple and "Chocolate" varieties known. Shape can vary radically. Those most commonly sold here in Southern California are wrinkly and bright orange. The name Habanero, "of Havana", comes from a time when they were shipped from that port. They are little used in Cuba today, as hot chilis are out of style there now.

Habanero, Orange

If you live in Southern California, this Orange Habanero is what you will be using. It totally dominates the market here, and other varieties are seldom seen. On the other hand, I haven't heard any complaints about that. Every market serving a Latino community has a bin of them, and Asian markets have at least foam trays of them. Apparently they are considered adequate for the job - high heat and good fruity flavor.

Scotch Bonnet

This chili is often confused with the Habanero. To tell the difference, you apparently have to be Jamaican - so, just to be sure, I bought seeds certified as Scotch Bonnet by a Jamaican agricultural organization. These are yellow, but Scotch Bonnets also come in red. They are the same hotness (H10) as the Habanero, but with a somewhat sweeter and smokier flavor. My plant did nothing its first year, but was very productive in the second year.

In appearance, they are usually more rumpled than the Habanero. They got their name from a once common variety in Jamaica that was of a flattened rumpled disk shape, said to look like a Scottish bonnet. Today, due to the meddling of chili growers, they come in many shapes, colors and levels of hotness. This is the preferred chili for making jerk meat in Jamaica, as well as some hot sauces there, but are now grown all over the region. The largest in the photo was 1.7 inches long and 1.3 inches diameter.

Wiri Wiri

This chili is very popular in Guyana, and used in a great many recipes there. It is near the low end (usually) of H10 and has a fruity flavor similar to the Scotch Bonnet. In Guyana it is usually used fresh, when ripe and bright red, but in most of North America we can get only dried. Fresh, they are about 1/2 inch diameter, and grow upright on their stems, as do other Bird Peppers. Subst: Scotch Bonnet or Habanero, both quite similar in hotness and taste, but different size and shape.

Madame Jeanette

This very hot chili (H10) is the most important chili in Suriname. Related to the Habanero, it is just about as hot, but more aromatic in cooking. The taste is said to have hints of pineapple and mango - but the main feature of this chili its full mouth hotness. They come in Yellow and Red, and vary greatly in shape, from long and curved to pumpkin shape, but always a bit wrinkled. It is thought it's name is that of a local prostitute (apparently very hot).

Adjuma

This extremely hot chili (H10), originally from Brazil, is almost as important as the Madame Jeanette in Suriname. It's size, shape and color are confusing, so it is often sold as Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, or even Madame Jeanette. It is less aromatic than Madame Jeanette.

Chiltepin

These tiny (up to about 0.35 inch dried) but intensely hot (H9) chilis possibly arose in Bolivia and southern Brazil, and were scattered throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean by birds long before humans invaded the Americas. They are found as far north Arizona and New Mexico and are still harvested wild (thus are quite expensive - 2022 U.S. $11.96 / ounce in 1/4 ounce bags). They are valued for their heat, complex flavor and medicinal uses. Their intense heat is sudden, but not long lasting, while that of the related Pequin builds more slowly but lasts longer.