Pasilla

Not to be confused with poblano.

The pasilla chile (/ˌpɑːˈsiːjə/ pah-SEE-yuh) or chile negro is the dried form of the chilaca chili pepper,^[1] a long and narrow member of the species Capsicum annuum. Named for its dark, wrinkled skin (literally "little raisin"),^[2] it is a mild to hot, rich-flavored chile. As dried, it is generally 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long and 1 to 1+1⁄2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter.

Pasilla
Two pasilla chiles
Species	Capsicum annuum
Heat	Low
Scoville scale	1,000–3,999 SHU

Fresh dark brown chilaca peppers

A fresh poblano pepper, often sold under the name 'pasilla' north of Mexico

The fresh narrow chilaca can measure up to 9 inches (230 mm) long and often has a twisted shape, which is seldom apparent after drying. It turns from dark green to dark brown when fully mature.^[3]

In the United States, producers and grocers sometimes incorrectly use "pasilla" to describe the poblano, a different, wider variety of pepper, the dried form of which is called an ancho.^[4][5]

Use

Pasilla are used especially in sauces. They are often combined with fruits and are excellent served with duck, seafood, lamb, mushrooms, garlic, fennel, honey, or oregano.^{[citation needed]} They are sold whole or powdered in Mexico, the United States, and the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

Pasilla de Oaxaca is a variety of smoked pasilla chili from Oaxaca used in mole negro.^[6]

See also

• Chipotle - The smoked and dried form of the jalapeño chili pepper.
• Guajillo - The dried form of the mirasol chili pepper.
• List of Capsicum cultivars

References

1. Jean Andrews (January 1995). Peppers: the domesticated Capsicums. University of Texas Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-292-70467-1. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
2. Rombauer, I, et al. (1997). The Joy of Cooking, pp. 399–402, New York: Scribner. ISBN 0-684-81870-1
3. Andrews, Jean (2005). The peppers cookbook: 200 recipes from the pepper lady's kitchen. Denton, Tex: University of North Texas Press. p. 16. ISBN 1-57441-193-4. Retrieved 2012-10-08.
4. "Pasilla vs. Poblano". Fiery-Foods.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-24.
5. "Pepper, chili". CHOW. CBS Interactive.
6. DeWitt, Dave; Evans, Chuck (1997). The Pepper Pantry: Chipotle. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts, an imprint of Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9780307824363. Retrieved 2012-10-08. Pasilla de Oaxaca: a variety of pasilla chile that is smoked in Oaxaca and is used in the famous mole negro.

Further reading

• Kennedy, Diana. The Cuisines of Mexico (revised edition) New York: Harper & Row, 1986.
• Kennedy, Diana. From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2003.
• McMahan, Jacqueline Higuera. Red & Green Chile Cookbook. Lake Hughes, CA: The Olive Press, 1992.