Chile trompa: what it is, heat and uses in the Huasteca

What is it?

The chile trompa is a variety of fresh chilli native to the Huasteca region, which spans northern Veracruz, southern Tamaulipas, eastern Hidalgo, eastern San Luis Potosí and parts of Querétaro and Puebla. Its name comes from its elongated and slightly pointed shape, which recalls an animal's snout (trompa). It belongs to the genus Capsicum annuum, is medium-sized (8 to 15 centimetres), thin-walled and bright green when immature, reddish when ripe. Its heat is moderate, between 8,000 and 15,000 Scoville units, slightly higher than the jalapeño. It is a fundamental ingredient of zacahuil —the giant Huastec tamal—, of regional Huastec salsas, of enchilados with cecina and of country stews such as cuyabo and Huastec chichilo. It is grown in family plots and small parcels, forming part of the milpa system of the Huasteca.

Origin and history

The chile trompa is a landrace variety with a presence documented in Huastec cooking since pre-Hispanic times. The Téenek (Huastec), Nahua and Otomí peoples of the region have grown it for centuries as part of the milpa system, interspersed with maize, beans and squash. CONABIO includes it in its inventories of Mexican landrace Capsicum for its cultural and genetic value. Although it does not appear in the best-known colonial recipe books, the ethnobotanical studies of Robert Bye and Edelmira Linares document it as part of the Huastec farming heritage. Its central use in zacahuil —considered one of the largest and oldest tamales of Mesoamerica— attests to its historical regional importance. Zacahuil appears described in 18th-century chronicles as a ceremonial dish for weddings, religious festivals and Huastec patron-saint feasts. In the 20th century, SADER and INAH have promoted its recovery within programmes of traditional Huastec cooking and the preservation of Mesoamerican biodiversity.

Characteristic ingredients

The chile trompa measures between 8 and 15 centimetres long and 2 to 3 wide, with an elongated shape, thin walls and smooth, bright green skin that turns deep red when ripe. Its thin wall means it cooks quickly and is ideal for grinding into fresh salsas. It is used mainly green in Huastec cooking, though the ripe red version is also valued. For zacahuil it is mixed with ancho, guajillo and other dried chillies in the marinade that seasons the maize masa and the pork. In fresh molcajete salsas it is ground with tomato, garlic and salt to accompany bocoles, Huastec enchiladas, cecina and broths. Its close botanical relatives are the jalapeño and the cuaresmeño chilli, though the trompa is finer and thinner-walled. It is distinguished from the chile pico de paloma or pico de pájaro by its larger size and broader shape at the base, ending in a point.

Cultural significance

The chile trompa is one of the gastronomic symbols of the Huasteca region, a biocultural area shared by six Mexican states where the Téenek, Nahua, Otomí, Totonac and Pame peoples coexist. Its central role in zacahuil —a giant Huastec tamal cooked in an earth oven and considered national gastronomic heritage— gives it an exceptional identity value. SECTUR promotes zacahuil and the chile trompa as tourist attractions of the Veracruz, Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí Huasteca. Festivals such as the Zacahuil Fair in Aquismón, San Luis Potosí, draw national and international visitors and invigorate the rural economy. CONABIO includes the chile trompa among the priority plant genetic resources for conservation, given its role in the Huastec diet and its ancestral cultural value. Its preservation is tied to the work of Huastec farmers who keep the traditional milpa system alive after millennia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chile trompa and jalapeño?

Both are Capsicum annuum, but the chile trompa is longer, more elongated and thinner-walled than the jalapeño, which makes it easier to grind into fresh salsas. The jalapeño is fleshy and lends itself to pickling or stuffing, whereas the trompa is typically a Huastec regional chilli and is used fresh to season zacahuil, salsas and stews.

How hot is the chile trompa?

Its heat ranges between 8,000 and 15,000 Scoville units, moderate to high, slightly above the jalapeño and below the serrano. It is a direct, clean heat, with no bitter notes, that pairs well with the natural sweetness of maize and the fat of pork, basic ingredients of traditional Huastec cooking.

In which dishes is the chile trompa used?

It is an essential ingredient of zacahuil, the giant Huastec tamal. It is also used in fresh molcajete salsas with tomato and garlic, in Huastec enchiladas with cecina, in stuffed bocoles, in cuyabo (a stew of meat and maize) and in regional broths. It is typical of the Veracruz, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas Huasteca, where it forms part of the everyday family recipe book.

Where is the chile trompa grown?

It is grown in the Huasteca region, which spans northern Veracruz (Tantoyuca, Pánuco, Tempoal), eastern Hidalgo (Huejutla), eastern San Luis Potosí (Aquismón, Tamazunchale) and southern Tamaulipas (El Mante). It grows in family plots and small parcels as part of the milpa system, interspersed with maize, beans and squash.