The Chilli Guru

Glossary of chilli terms

• afterburn - the reason some enthusiasts keep their toilet paper in the fridge
• aji - the Spanish word for a chilli
• capsaicin - the main chemical which gives chillies their pungency
• chile - the American spelling of chilli
• chile relleno - roast or fried chilli filled with cheese or meat
• chipotle - a smoked, dried jalapeño chilli
• clade - a group of related species derived from a common ancestor
• cultivar - a variety of plant that developed under cultivation
• deciduous - a chilli which when ripe detatches naturally from its pedicel
• frutescent - shrubby, shrub like
• habanero - originating from La Habana (Havana) Cuba
• landrace - an ancient or primitive cultivar of a crop plant
• mole - a rich dark chilli based sauce widely used in Mexican cooking
• ovoid - egg shaped
• pasilla - a dried chilaca
• pedicel - the short stalk which bears a single chilli flower or fruit
• pubescent - covered in fine hairs
• pungency - the feeling of heat in the mouth
• ristra - a chain or garland of dried chillies
• salsa - a sauce of chopped tomato, onion, chilli etc.
• synergy - two elements combining to enhance each other
• umami - savoury; one of the five basic tastes