Jalapeno peppers are a popular kind of pepper used in cooking.
Hot green chili peppers add spice to any meal. These peppers range from mildly hot to intense heat that will give you a good sweat. If you want to use hot chili peppers in your cooking, learning a little about the different kinds of peppers can help you add just the right amount of heat and flavor.
Anaheim Peppers
Anaheim peppers are around seven inches long and start off about two to three inches thick at their base, slowly getting smaller to their pointed end. These peppers have a mild, subdued heat. Anaheim peppers typically are stuffed with cheeses, meats, or even peanut butter, or used in making salsa. They are commonly used in the traditional Mexican chile relleno dish.
Habanero Peppers
While ripe habanero peppers often are thought of as yellow or orange, unripened green habeneros also can be used in cooking. They are among the hottest peppers available. These boxed-shaped peppers are about two inches long and two inches wide. Habanero peppers often are used in tropical foods, like Caribbean cooking, as their extreme heat works well with the sweet flavors in tropical dishes. You can use habanero peppers in sauces and salsas, but it is advisable to use only small amounts because of their intense heat.
Jalapeno Peppers
Jalapeno peppers are a popular pepper used in numerous dishes. Two to three inches thick and about four inches long, these peppers, while not as hot as habaneros, are still hot but have a sweet undertone to their flavor. Often served alone by frying, baking or pickling, you also can add them to most dishes to provide substantial heat. Jalapenos are a staple in most Mexican dishes, as well as spicy salads, sauces, meat marinades and even certain alcoholic beverages.
Serrano Peppers
Like habanero peppers, serrano peppers carry a lot of heat. These peppers look somewhat like jalapenos, only slightly smaller. Serrano peppers add intense heat to Mexican dishes and also are commonly used in Thai cooking.
Tags: habanero peppers, inches long, intense heat, Anaheim peppers, chili peppers, commonly used
