Chilhuacle negro: the soul of Oaxacan mole negro

What is it?

Chilhuacle negro is one of the rarest and most valuable chillies of Mexico. Endemic to the Canada de Cuicatlan, in the north of Oaxaca, it is the soul of Oaxacan mole negro, considered one of the most complex moles in the world. It has a lantern shape, measures between 5 and 8 cm, with wrinkled skin and an almost black colour with purple and very dark brown reflections. It belongs to the species Capsicum annuum. Its Nahuatl name means 'old black chilli'. Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 Scoville units), but its aromatic profile is exceptional: bitter chocolate, toasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint. It is the aromatic and chromatic base of mole negro and of chichilo negro, two of the seven traditional moles of Oaxaca. Its limited production makes it a chilli of high economic and cultural value.

Origin and history

Chilhuacle negro is one of the oldest chillies cultivated in the Tehuacan-Cuicatlan Valley, in a semi-arid microregion of northern Oaxaca with human presence going back more than 7,000 years. The Cuicatec and Mazatec peoples have grown it for centuries as part of their traditional milpa. Larousse Cocina and Ricardo Munoz Zurita's Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Mexican Gastronomy identify it as an irreplaceable ingredient of Oaxacan mole negro. Mole negro forms part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010. CONABIO documents that chilhuacle negro is at risk of genetic erosion: by the end of the twentieth century its cultivation had fallen drastically and it is only kept going thanks to community efforts, INIFAP and SADER programmes, and Oaxacan chefs who pay premium prices to keep the crop alive. The Slow Food organisation has included chilhuacle in its Ark of Taste as a product at risk.

Characteristic ingredients

Chilhuacle negro is a Capsicum annuum endemic to the Canada de Cuicatlan, a semi-arid microregion with very specific climate and soil conditions. The fruits ripen to a very dark red and are sun-dried for several days until they take on a wine-black colour with brown reflections. The skin becomes wrinkled and its shape recalls a small lantern or pepper (5-8 cm). Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 SHU) but its aromatic profile is enormously complex: bitter chocolate, toasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint of damp earth. To use it, devein, deseed and briefly toast on a comal (its dark skin demands great care so as not to burn it and embitter the sauce). Then rehydrate in hot water for about 15 minutes. Blend with chilhuacle rojo, chilhuacle amarillo, chocolate, toasted dried chillies, dried nuts, plantain, spices and many other ingredients to prepare Oaxacan mole negro, considered one of the most sophisticated moles in the world. It is also the base of chichilo negro.

Cultural significance

Chilhuacle negro is one of the chillies with the greatest cultural and economic value in Mexico. It is an indispensable ingredient of Oaxacan mole negro, a ceremonial dish served at weddings, religious festivities and important family celebrations, considered the supreme emblem of Oaxacan cuisine recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Its cultivation is concentrated exclusively in municipalities of the Canada de Cuicatlan such as San Juan Bautista Cuicatlan, where it sustains the economy of small Cuicatec producers. SADER, INIFAP, CONABIO and Slow Food have driven conservation and fair-trade projects for chilhuacle, sounding the alarm about the risk of genetic erosion. Oaxacan chefs such as Celia Florian, Abigail Mendoza, Alejandro Ruiz and Olga Cabrera are reference figures for its use. Its price in Oaxacan markets can be several times that of ancho or pasilla, making it a premium chilli reserved for festive preparations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chilhuacle negro and chile pasilla?

Although both are dark dried chillies used in mole negro, they are distinct chillies. Chilhuacle negro is endemic to the Canada de Cuicatlan, has a lantern shape (5-8 cm) and a complex flavour of chocolate, coffee, liquorice and tobacco; its production is very limited and its price high. Common pasilla is the dried chilaca chilli, elongated (15-20 cm), with a smoky herbal flavour, more available and cheaper. In traditional Oaxacan mole negro both are used.

What does chilhuacle negro taste like?

It brings an extraordinarily complex flavour with notes of bitter chocolate, toasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint. Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 Scoville units). Its aroma is persistent, almost balsamic, and defines the character of Oaxacan mole negro. When briefly toasted it develops toasted-cacao and deep caramel notes that no other chilli has.

Why is chilhuacle negro at risk?

Its cultivation fell drastically in the twentieth century because of the low yield of the plant, rural migration, recurring drought in the Canada de Cuicatlan and pressure from cheaper industrial chillies. CONABIO and INIFAP classify it as at risk of genetic erosion. Slow Food has included it in its Ark of Taste. Conservation depends on community projects, seed conservation and fair prices that cover its limited artisanal production.

Where does chilhuacle negro come from?

It is endemic to the Canada de Cuicatlan, in northern Oaxaca. It is grown exclusively in municipalities such as San Juan Bautista Cuicatlan and surrounding communities. The Cuicatec and Mazatec peoples have grown it for centuries as part of their traditional milpa. CONABIO recognises it as an endemic Mexican chilli and, together with SADER and INIFAP, runs conservation programmes.