Habanero

habanero, a variety of the chili pepper species Capsicum chinense, grown for its edible pungent fruit that is one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. Unripe habaneros are green. The peppers change colour as they ripen. Green and white pods are milder than orange ones, and black, or “chocolate,” ones and the Red Savina are the hottest.

The Spanish name habanero means “of Havana,” and Cuba is probably where the Spanish first encountered the variety. Plant genetic studies indicate that it may have originated in lowland Peru and, through trade, spread from there; an archaeological excavation in the Valley of Mexico uncovered the remnants of a habanero grown thousands of years ago. A staple of Mayan cuisine, today it is commercially grown on farms on Mexico’sYucatán Peninsula. It is also grown throughout Central America and on many Caribbean islands. The habanero is popular in Australia and Italy; in Italy it is combined with olive oil and marketed as Nettare di Habanero, or “Habanero Nectar.”

For many years following the development of the Scoville scale, a measure of chili intensity in Scoville heat units (SHU), the orange habanero was considered to be the hottest pepper in the world, ranging from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU. By comparison, a green bell pepper measures 0 SHU, while poblanos, at 1,000–2,000 SHU, and jalapeños, at 2,500–8,000 SHU, are characterized as mild to mild-hot. The orange habanero ranks as very hot, but other habanero cultivars can be even hotter—including the chocolate, at 300,000–500,000 SHU, and the Red Savina, at 250,000–577,000 SHU. Other chili varieties are far hotter. The Carolina Reaper, for example, can be more than six times hotter than the orange habanero, and the ghost pepper, or bhut jolokia, can be more than four times hotter.

Chili connoisseurs prize those hot peppers, but the habanero is widely considered to be superior to them because of its subtle floral or apricot-like aroma; its variety of flavours, including hints of smoke and citrus and a slight sweetness; and its pleasing versatility, including use in hot sauces and salsas that are not too painful to eat. The habanero pairs especially well with tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple, and papaya, which help counter its intensity, and it is frequently used in bottled condiments that combine its flavours with everything from vinegar to carrots. The chili has even been added to cocktails and other beverages. Great care should be taken when handling habaneros and their seeds; some chefs handle them only with gloves.

In clinical studies, capsaicin, the predominant compound contributing pungency to habaneros and other chilies, has been shown to slow the proliferation of prostate cancer cells; lower cholesterol and blood-pressure levels; control hypertension, obesity, and gastrointestinal disorders; and counter the effects of depression and other mood disorders. In addition, capsaicin creams and gels have been used to treat migraines, arthritis, muscle pains, and diabetic neuropathy. Not surprisingly, a burning sensation at the point of application is a common, though generally mild and temporary, side effect of topical capsaicin treatments.