Rocoto chile

Rocoto chile is a type of chili pepper that is believed to have originated in the Andean areas of Peru and Bolivia, where it has long been grown and used as an essential ingredient of traditional cuisine. It belongs to the Capsicum pubescens genus and is characterized by hairy leaves and dark seeds ranging from dark brown to black, while its rather thick and juicy flesh may be of red, orange, yellow, or green color.

Varying in both size and shape, the rocoto chili is renowned for being one of the hottest peppers in the world, and it is distinguished by a rich, fruity, and spicy flavor. Rocoto chilis may be enjoyed fresh as an accompaniment to various dishes, made into chili paste and used as a condiment, or ground to a powder-like consistency and used as a spice.

Because of its high degree of heat, this chili is typically used in smaller quantities to add a fiery kick to a wide variety of sauces, soups, salads, stews, salsas, ceviches, and other traditional specialties such as rocoto relleno (stuffed rocoto peppers) and huacatay hot sauce.