Cascabel

The cascabel is a round, golf-ball-sized dried chile whose name means "rattle" in Spanish — a reference to the loose seeds that shake inside the dried pod. Fresh pods ripen from green to deep red before being dried to a dark mahogany. The dried chile has a distinctive nutty, earthy flavor with hints of tobacco and wood, making it a valued base for rustic Mexican sauces, soups, and stews.

Days to maturity

80–100 days

Plant height

60–90 cm (2–3 ft)

Best use

Dried for sauces, salsas, soups

Species

Capsicum annuum

Origin

Mexico