Dried piquín chilli: what it is, heat and uses of the powder

What is it?

The dried piquin chilli is one of the smallest wild chillies of Mexico, also known as chile pequin, chiltepin or chile mosquito depending on the region. It is cultivated and gathered mainly in the north-east of the country, in states such as Tamaulipas, Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí, where it grows wild in scrubland and orchards. Once dried it is ground to prepare the classic piquin chilli powder that gives the spicy touch to chilli-coated fruit, table salsas, micheladas and snacks. Its flavour is intense, earthy and deeply spicy, with a range of 40,000 to 70,000 Scoville units, which places it among the strongest dried chillies of the Mexican recipe book.

Origin and history

The piquin chilli is one of the oldest Capsicum grown in Mesoamerica. Studies by CONABIO and SADER indicate that the Capsicum genus was domesticated more than 6,000 years ago and that wild varieties such as the piquin are the ancestral form of the cultivated chilli. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún described in the 16th century several small chillies used by the peoples of the high plateau and the Gulf coast. In north-east Mexico, rural communities have gathered wild piquin since before the colonial period to sun-dry it and preserve it throughout the year. During the 20th century the gathering was professionalised in Tamaulipas and it is exported as a regional product. Today it is considered an identity-bearing crop of the north-east and is protected as a priority plant-genetic resource by the federal government through SADER.

Characteristic ingredients

The dried piquin chilli is obtained by letting the fruit ripen on the plant until it acquires an intense red colour and harvesting it when it begins to dehydrate. It measures between 5 and 10 millimetres, is rounded or oval and keeps the pedicel intact. Once dried it is ground with salt to produce the typical reddish powder. There are two main commercial forms: the whole dried piquin chilli and the ground powder, the latter frequently mixed with sea salt, citric acid or dehydrated lime. In Tamaulipas the piquin is gathered in open scrubland, while in Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí it is now grown in family orchards. The plant is perennial and produces small but very abundant fruits. Its capsaicin content is high, so a pinch is enough to season; the powder retains its pungency better if kept in an airtight jar away from light.

Cultural significance

In north-east Mexico the piquin chilli has an identity-bearing value comparable to that of nopal or maize: it appears in family salsas, table powders and antojitos. It is the base of the classic powder with salt and lime that is sold in markets, fairs and kiosks to coat mangos, jicamas, cucumbers and sweets with chilli. The Tamaulipas region of El Mante and Llera holds fairs dedicated to the gathering of wild piquin, and SADER recognises this chilli as a strategic agri-food product for its economic value to rural communities that depend on seasonal gathering. The traditional gastronomy of the Pánuco, the Huasteca and the sierra of Tamaulipas uses ground dried piquin in roast kid, northern fajitas and the typical molcajete salsa. In addition, it is considered a gastronomic symbol that connects migrants of the north-east with their place of origin, present in family parcels sent to the United States.

Frequently asked questions

Are the piquin chilli and the chiltepin the same?

Both belong to the same wild variety Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, but the chiltepin usually refers to the round fruit of the north-west (Sonora, Chihuahua) while the piquin designates the more oval fruit of north-east Mexico. Sharing a botanical origin, in northern Mexico the names are frequently used interchangeably.

How spicy is the dried piquin chilli?

Its level of pungency ranges between 40,000 and 70,000 Scoville units, similar to the de arbol chilli but more concentrated by size. A pinch is enough to season a salsa for several people, so it is recommended to add it little by little and taste before adding more.

How is the classic piquin chilli powder prepared?

The dried chillies are lightly toasted on a comal without burning them, left to cool and ground in a molcajete or mill with sea salt and, optionally, citric acid or dehydrated lime. The powder is kept in an airtight jar and used to coat fruit, popcorn, micheladas with chilli or as a dry rub.

Where is the piquin chilli grown in Mexico?

Most of the production comes from Tamaulipas, particularly the sierra of El Mante, Llera and Soto la Marina, as well as Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí. It is also gathered wild in Veracruz and Hidalgo. In recent years it has begun to be domesticated in family orchards.